Getting Together
by modernbard
Summary: Ever wonder just how Logan managed to forget about Jean and see Ororo for the wonderfully vibrant creature she is? Read on for a few surprises, some very unLoganlike behavior, some twists, a little romance and maybe even a tragedy or two. Ch 40 is up!
1. Homecoming

Summary: Logan and Ororo have been close friends for a long time. Suddenly, one day Logan really sees her for the first time. Read on for a few surpises, some very unLoganlike behavior, some twists, a little romance and maybe even a tragedy or two.

Author's Note: I simply love the idea of Logan and Ororo as a couple. I never could understand why everyone was so obsessed with him getting Jean; she is so not his type. So this is my take on just how Logan got over Jean and began looking at Ororo as something more than pretty background decoration. Sorry it opens up like the second movie, but it seemed to fit somehow.  
J

ust a short AN, someone pointed out to me that the ages of some of the characters seems a bit confusing, so I think I'll clear that up here. Rogue is nearly 18 years old, Storm is in her late 20's and Remy is probably 21 years old (no I have no intention of explaining why Remy has come to the school; he is only being mentioned in this fanfic. As of this moment, he will play no major role in this story), This is a mixture of movieverse and comicverse. I apologize in advance for any minor mistakes or liberties I may take with the comic history. Rated for minor swearing.

* * *

Logan was finally home; after nearly a year away from the mansion and the other X-men. He'd left to chase down the demons and ghosts in his past, hoping that maybe they would lead him to the answers he was searching for. All the while, in the back of his mind, was the fear of just what he might find; what might be revealed to him; and the fear that maybe he couldn't live with who he had been and what he might have done. But the tips he followed proved to be dead ends and he found himself headed back to the only place that had ever made him feel even remotely at peace; Xavier's school.

Rogue met him at the door, flinging her arms around him as she greeted him exuberantly.

"Hey kid, how ya doin'?" Her smile was answer enough for him and he was glad to see that her encounter with Magneto over a year ago had left no lasting mark.

"Everything around here's good Logan. Ah've been doing good too; the professor's been helping me out a lot."

He grunted and threw a smaller bag at her as he turned to head up the stairs. "Good; give me a hand then would ya." As he reached the stairs, he was stopped by Storm coming down quickly.

She stopped, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as greeting before continuing hurriedly down the stairs. "Welcome back Logan. I cannot talk now; there was a minor explosion in the kitchen just now. It seems Jubilee has taken up cooking again."

Logan found himself chuckling as he let her pass and realized that not only had nothing changed, but that he had actually missed some of the chaos. He was still chuckling as Rogue followed him upstairs to his room with some of his stuff.

* * *

"I'm sorry that I was unable to help you Logan. I can only hope that in time more answers will be revealed to you." 

Logan shrugged as he chewed the tip of the cigar the professor forbade him to smoke inside the mansion walls. "I appreciate that Chuck; but I think that I'd like to take a break from runnin' down demons fer awhile. Do ya mind if I hang out here?"

"Certainly; as a matter of fact, there is something that I wish to discuss with you. I was hoping that when you returned you might be willing to 'earn your keep' so to speak."

"What'd ya have in mind?"

"It has come to my attention that many of the students here, and even some of the faculty are lacking basic self defense skills."

"What's that got ta do with me?"

"Logan, you obviously have an extensive military background, even if you don't remember most of it. And based upon the reports I have seen from other members of the team, you can more than handle yourself in a fight. That is why I would like for you to teach a self defense class."

"Me? Teach?"

"Yes. I feel and others within the faculty agree with me, that you are the best choice."

"I guess it goes without sayin' that Cyke was the only hold out."

"Logan, you might find that when it comes to this school and the students, Scott can put aside his personal feelings."

"He put up a real fight against it didn't he?"

Xavier laughed out loud, his tone slightly sarcastic as he replied. "You have no idea."

Logan chewed his cigar chuckling. "Well, I'm flattered."

"Is that a yes?"

"Why the hell not; I ain't got nothin' better to do at the moment. When do ya want me to start?"

"First thing in the morning; I've already added the class to the roster." He handed Logan a piece of paper with the weekly schedule of most of the classes that were currently being taught.

"Pretty sure of yerself weren't ya Chuck?"

Xavier tapped his forehead with his finger. "I'm very rarely wrong Logan."

Logan smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Now tomorrow I would suggest that you assess the students individually to see what they know, or don't know. That may take you a few weeks."

"Anythin' specific ya want me ta teach them?"

"I want you to teach them how to think on their feet and to teach what will work for each student. For now, don't allow them to augment what you teach them with their mutant abilities. Later, when they progress we can tie things together. I'll expect a weekly progress report on how you and the students are doing."

"I'll be here."

"Good, now here's the class list; I thought it best if you teach the students separately from the adults."

Logan scanned the list and his eyes widened as he saw who was on the list. "Chuck there's only one name here."

"I know. Ororo is a powerful mutant and a born leader. But she had little chance during her childhood in Africa to acquire any worthwhile fighting skills. Although she has resisted the idea for many years, I have finally convinced her that not only are these skills vital, but I would remove her from active duty if she continued to refuse to learn them."

Logan chuckled softly picturing that conversation in his mind. "I gather that me teachin' the class didn't sit well."

This time the professor smiled slightly. "On the contrary she was very adamant that you be allowed to teach her personally."

"That's surprisin'."

"You shouldn't think so; Ororo respects you and your abilities. She also feels comfortable taking instruction from you; something I feel is very important to true learning. Are you all right with this?"

"If Ororo don't mind me knockin' her on her ass for a few months, I won't mind doin' it."

The professor chose to ignore both his language and his statement. "Very well then, I look forward to hearing from you at the end of the week."

* * *

Logan left the professor's office and headed to the kitchen for something to eat when he nearly ran into Jean; literally. Only his own quick reflexes and a quick mental shout to Jean kept a major collision from occurring. 

"Logan, I was looking for you."

Logan smiled and felt desire, rich and potent start to fill him as her scent reached him. "Really? What for?" His voice was low, deep, even a touch intimate he saw her hesitate slightly.

"Scott and I have somewhere we need to be and we need another adult to help Storm watch the kids."

Logan felt a flash of irritation and didn't bother to hide it from her. "And ya figured I ain't got nothin' better to do than help her watch a bunch of kids."

"Yeah, that about covers it."

He sighed loudly and rubbed his forehead. "Fine. Seems like today is my day to act completely out of character. You and One Eye owe me, big time." Jean smiled at him and it filled Logan with a fierce spear of joy that he had made her happy; even if it was to help her spend more time with Scott. She hurried off and left him standing in the hallway.

* * *

After eating, Logan wandered outside to smoke a cigar and enjoy a moment or two of peace. Grabbing a meal in the kitchen had proved more of a hassle than he had anticipated. He had foolishly gone into the kitchen with an appetite and Jubilee, who was still there cleaning up the mess from her previous attempt at cooking, had promptly decided she would cook his meal. Not wanting to hurt the young girl's feelings, he'd seen no choice but to go along with it. 

But the plate she had put in front of him contained a substance so vile, that he wasn't sure even he, with his mutant healing factor, wanted to attempt eating it. But the hopeful, pleading look on Jubilee's face gave him little choice. And so now, he was walking the gardens behind the mansion, smoking a cigar and trying to cleanse the awful taste from his mouth.

He found himself outside of the greenhouse and wondered when it had been built; it hadn't been there when he'd last been there. He opened the door, a faint scent of rain and sandalwood teasing his nostrils as he realized just who the structure had been built for.

She sat inside, tending to the multitude of plants as she hummed softly to herself. "Hello Logan. I had hoped Jubilee's attempt at cooking had not caused you permanent injury."

He chuckled as he stubbed out his cigar and stepped forward to get a closer look at what she was doing. "Nothin' ya couldn't handle without a healin' factor."

Ororo chuckled as she continued transferring small seedlings to their own individual pots.

He watched her work for several moments without comment. "It seems we're a couple of glorified babysitters tonight."

"Yes, it seems all the other adults are fleeing the mansion tonight."

"Lucky them."

They fell silent for several moments, neither feeling the need to fill the space between them with useless words and chatter. It had been that way between them from the very first moment they had met. And each was very comfortable around the other; often seeking each other out in quiet moments to simply feel a sense of companionship free of deeper needs and entanglements.

During the silence, Logan found himself pondering the conversation he'd had with the professor earlier about Ororo and her request for him to teach her. He found himself wondering and unable to understand why she chosen him. "I had an interestin' conversation with the professor today."

Ororo went still for a moment, but she didn't turn to face him. "Oh? What about?"

"It seems he wants me to teach a self defense class. Seems he's concerned about some of the students lackin' any self defense skills." He watched her closely as she looked up at him, her face still and calm. But he could smell a hint of apprehension roll off of her.

"And you are wondering about why I lack those same skills."

"I gotta admit darlin', it seemed a bit of a surprise."

"There is a lot about each other that we do not know Logan. In the past, I have relied far too heavily on my mutant abilities; Ellis Island showed me that very well. I do not want to be a liability to this team; I have no wish for someone else to defend me if I again find myself in a position where my abilities are useless."

Logan nodded, half expecting her words. "I won't go easy on you darlin'; I won't pull punches and I'm gonna hold ya to a very high standard. I'm sure I'll end up knockin' ya on yer ass a time or two."

"That is precisely why I asked the professor that you be the one to teach me. I know you will not coddle me or expect anything less than my best. The others, they feel an obsessive need to protect me; which does nothing more than hinder my efforts to protect myself."

Logan nodded, finally understanding why she hadn't gone to Scott or even Remy with the request. "Just so we understand each other; I'll see ya in the workout room tomorrow at 11 a.m., when the other students are busy with their other classes. Dress comfortably with good shoes. We're gonna to start with endurance trainin'."

She nodded as he left her to her plants.

* * *

The rest of the evening passed relatively peacefully; at least as peaceful as a night in a house full of mutant teenagers could be. There were several minor disagreements which escalated into skirmishes when one of the injured parties decided to settle the argument using their powers. And Jubilee managed to once again create a disaster in the kitchen in her attempt to make popcorn. But things calmed down quickly when Ororo spread the word about an impromptu movie night. 

Logan came into the room near the beginning of what would later become a semi marathon of action movies. He looked around in minor amazement that most of the kids there were not only sitting together, but they were quiet and actually not trying to maim or dismember each other. After a few moments, he began watching the movie and found himself being drawn in. He looked around, scanning the room for a seat.

He saw Ororo wave him over, pointing to the free seat next to her. He came through the room quickly and plopped down next to her. She silently handed him some of the popcorn that had come out unscathed, not taking her eyes from the movie on the large screen.

"This ain't a bad flick. Who picked this movie out anyway?" He whispered to her and ignored the shushing noises that came from around them.

"I suggested it to the children; they seemed to want something with a bit of excitement."

Logan shot her a look of surprise. "Ya've actually seen this movie?"

"Why do you sound so surprised that I would like this movie?"

He shrugged. "It just don't seem yer type of thing darlin'."

She smiled enigmatically at his surprise. "There is a great deal you do not know about me Logan."

For a moment, her tone of voice, despite it being near a whisper, intrigued him. If he hadn't been sure who he'd been speaking with, he might have thought that she was flirting with him. "So I'm learnin'. Anything else you plannin' on surprisin' me with that I should know about?"

She chuckled. "Time will tell." And they sat back to watch the movie in silence.

* * *

The next morning he walked into the workout room, a room in the sub basement across from the danger room, to find his students already waiting for him. He was pleased to find Rogue among them; and pleased that most of the students had dressed appropriately. The students fell silent as he walked into the room. He stood in front of them, quickly counting them to see if anyone was missing. 

"Alright, why don't we get started; I don't know all yerr names yet but my name is Logan and I've been asked to teach you some basic fightin' skills. I'm gonna tell each of ya right now, this class ain't gonna be easy. I'm gonna push each and every one of ya here until ya not only know your limits, but surpass them if ya need to.

"For the first few weeks we'll start off easy; runnin', calisthenics and light weight trainin'. During the first few weeks, I'm gonna take each of ya aside to try and figure out yer strengths and weaknesses and what would work best for ya. I'm not here to embarrass anyone or point out flaws. What I am here to do is to teach ya somethin' that might one day save your life.

"And before I forget, there are only two rules in this class. First, I'm in charge. There is no higher authority; not even Xavier. So if any of ya feel that ya can go to him if I get too hard on ya, remember that he won't save your butts. Second, under no circumstances are any of ya to use any of yer abilities while yer in this class." There was a collective moan throughout the room at that announcement. "There may come a time when yer abilities are useless, or could do more harm then good in a fight. If that's the case, then ya still have somethin' to fall back on in a pinch. Now, I want ya to pair up and begin stretchin', we've got a two mile run to start with today."

"Two miles?" He heard one student mutter

"He's crazy." Came another.

Logan's sensitive ears picked up the comment easily and he couldn't help answering it. "By the time I'm done with ya, all of ya will be able to run 10 miles without even breakin' a sweat." There was another collective groan as the students began stretching.

* * *

Logan dismissed the class nearly two hours later, giving out remedies and tips for sore and strained muscles as the students filed out to shower before their next class. Rogue stayed behind for a moment as Logan waited for the last of them to leave. 

"So, what'd ya think?"

Rogue shrugged. Logan watched her closely during the workout; but she hadn't seemed nearly as winded.

"Ah think that ya went easy on us."

He laughed as they walked out the door; he had nearly two hours until he had to meet Storm for their session. "Yer probably right about that; but yer just kids. It'll get harder next week; we start hand to hand combat trainin' then."

Rogue groaned and left him in the hall as she went back to her room to get ready for her next class.

* * *

Ororo was actually early to the workout room; Logan sensed her the moment she came through the door. She hesitated at the door, and he could feel the weight of her gaze on him as he moved through a complicated series of kicks and punches. He had come down early to workout and loosen up; he hadn't expected her to come down early as well. He turned to her and sensed her surprise; she had finally noticed that his eyes were closed. 

"Yer early." He opened his eyes as he spoke, his gruff voice echoing and watched as she jumped in surprise. He found himself surprised at her appearance; he had no idea that the great weather goddess owned sweat pants. He was used to seeing her dressed impeccably on a regular basis. Ororo was well known for her keen fashion sense and elegant style. Seeing her dressed down to such a degree was nice surprise.

"Yes, I had hoped to warm-up and stretch before we begin. Logan, just why were your eyes closed?"

He began going through his exercises once more as she stepped into the room. "Helps with balance. If ya need to stretch before we start, go right ahead darlin'; there's plenty of room here for both of us." He moved over a bit, giving her plenty of room on the mat for both of them. There was silence between them until Logan decided that it was time to begin their run. "How far do ya usually run?"

She pulled out of her final stretch as he approached her. "About 5 miles; how far are you expecting me to go?"

He shrugged. "We'll start with 5 today and work our way up. I usually do about 10 and that's what I'm holdin' the kids to."

She nodded as they exited the workout room. "Then let us begin."

They ran further than Logan planned; he found himself pleasantly surprised by Ororo's endurance. When they reached the five mile mark, he asked her if she wanted to stop. She had merely shrugged and continued on running.

They ran another two miles before Logan told her that they'd gone far enough for one day. As they walked back towards the mansion, Logan pondered Ororo out of the corner of his eye. He knew that she kept herself in reasonably good shape; there was little choice given the work they had taken upon themselves in using their powers to benefit mankind.

But he was pleased to see that she was taking his class as seriously as she was. Unlike many of the students, she had not voiced a single complaint during their run. Nor had she balked at going beyond her normal routine; in fact he'd felt that he needed to hold her back. With this in mind, he decided to step up the pace and begin teaching her basic hand to hand combat techniques the following day.

The students had almost no stamina and would be hard pressed if he forced them to learn to fight on top of getting them into shape. But Ororo had a great deal of stamina; a great deal more than he had expected. He found himself suddenly looking forward to their daily workouts with a sense of anticipation, wondering just what she might surprise him with next.

"What is on the agenda for tomorrow?"

He was broken from his thoughts by her calm voice. They had returned to the mansion's work out room to finish the day with some light weight training and stretching. Logan shrugged and threw her a towel. "'Bout the same; though I think tomorrow we'll throw in some simple hand to hand combat to start with. I'd like to see what style would suite ya and that might take a few days."

She nodded and went to hit the showers.


	2. Settling Down

Summary: Logan settles in to his new life at the school and finds a few surprises where he least expected them.

* * *

The next morning was almost a repeat of the first one; though he was tempted to push the students harder than he had Ororo. They still complained about having to run two miles but most of them were keeping their complaints to themselves. Probably saving their energy for the run rather than wasting it to voice opinions that he was going to ignore anyway. In fact, Logan noticed that no one called him crazy a second time.

When he met with Ororo, he decided to save their jog until after he had put her through the wringer with combat training; thinking that she could run off the muscle fatigue and stiffness that might come when she was learning the first of many basic moves. But to his delight she caught on quickly and proved to be both quick and agile. What he found most surprising was her extraordinary sense of balance.

After showing her the basic moves, he had sparred with her to show her how to use and adjust the moves against a moving target. And during the light sparring session, he was surprised how many times she managed to save herself from a particularly nasty throw or dodge a well placed blow. She even managed to strike back from somewhat contorted and off balance positions. It was something he would not have expected given her current skill level.

Though true to his word, she landed on the mat a time or two. He found himself impressed at her abilities, despite the fact that she'd had little or no training. And he wondered just where she had developed her uncanny balance. On their run he decided to ask her.

"How did ya get such an unbelievable sense of balance? I've trained with masters of martial arts that didn't have a tenth of yer skill."

Ororo smiled slightly at the subtle praise. "I grew up in Cairo. After my parents died, I escaped the orphanage I was in and lived on the streets for many years where I plied my trade as a pick pocket and thief. A sense of balance was merely a requirement of survival."

Logan could not hide his surprise at her admission. "You were a thief?" Logan noted a certain tone of pride in her voice and in the way that she nodded her head at him.

"And a damned good one too. I might still be in Cairo practicing that craft if I had not come across Xavier the way that I did."

Logan shook his head in wonder as he contemplated the mental image of Ororo Munroe, the weather witch, a goddess born on earth, as a common thief. "Let me guess, ya picked his pocket."

She smiled at the memory. "Yes, as a matter of fact I did; but I did not realize that he was a mutant, much less a telepath. Needless to say I did not get very far."

Logan chuckled and shook his head.

"Something humorous Logan?"

"I just can't reconcile the two images together; Ororo the thief with Ororo the Goddess."

She reached out and jabbed him in the ribs as he continued to chuckle. "I have many faces and as I told you before Logan, there is much you do not know about me."

Logan nodded as he met her gaze. "Yer right; but man, it's going to be fun learnin'." With that cryptic statement, Logan turned his attention back to the trail and they finished running in silence.

* * *

The rest of the week passed in a bit of a blur as the students and Ororo kept him on his toes. There were some minor disagreements with some of the students about who was the boss in his class and how much he could really make them do. But Logan handled them and by the end of class on Friday everyone was once again on the same page. As for Ororo, she continued to progress and learn quickly. Logan found himself looking forward to the next week and how much more she might surprise him.

With the arrival of Friday, it was time for Logan's first report to Xavier on the progress of his students and Ororo. Logan had arranged a meeting with the professor at 7 p.m. Which gave him plenty of time to grab something to eat (although he pondered the wisdom of that when he discovered that somehow, it was Jubilee's night to cook again) and smoke a cigar outside.

The cigar was the one vice that the professor would allow anywhere near the mansion and he could only smoke outside. Xavier considered the presence of beer too much of a temptation for many of the teenage students and despite Logan's vehement protests, he forbid it anywhere near the mansion; at least during the school year.

Logan hoped the meeting would end relatively quickly as he had a deep desire to hop on his motorcycle and grab a cold one somewhere before calling it a night. He raised his hand to knock but never made it.

"Come in Logan."

He opened the door to find Jean sitting with the professor sharing a cup of tea as they finished going over some minor infractions among the students.

"Yes Jean, I think you might be right. I think this new rash of senseless behavior is largely due to stress and boredom. Why don't we plan another fieldtrip; this time to some place mindlessly entertaining for some of the students. Maybe a day outside the mansion where they aren't being forced to learn anything will bring them around."

Jean nodded as she set down her tea cup and stood up.

Logan looked at her, feeling the desire come alive inside him. He pushed his feelings down, resisting the urge to inhale deeply as she brushed by him. He watched her as she smiled softly at him and quietly let herself out of Xavier's office.

When the door closed quietly behind her, Logan realized that had been the first time he'd seen her all week. In fact he realized that he hadn't caught sight of One Eye much either.

He knew that he had been busy with the students and Ororo but to not have seen either of them in that amount of time, even in that size of a building was a little suspicious. He began to wonder if they were avoiding him intentionally; not that he minded if Cyke kept his distance. But he would have liked to seen more of Jean and spoken with her during the week.

Xavier broke into his thoughts before he could ponder the relevance of either realization. "Good evening Logan, I hope Jubilee's attempt at dinner didn't give you too much trouble."

Logan grunted. "That kid should be banned from the kitchen; what she does in there is a crime against food everywhere. Not to mention diners."

Xavier chuckled as he waved Logan to a seat; the seat Jean had just vacated.

He could smell her subtle scent on the cushions and he again fought the urge to inhale deeply.

Xavier offered him a cup of tea which Logan waved off before they settled down to the issue at hand. "Well, let's get started. Since this is your first report to me, I'll start by asking questions so you know what I want to know. Hopefully this will get easier as time goes by. How are the students progressing?"

Logan leaned forward shrugging a bit as he did so. "Too early to tell yet. So far they seem to be doin' okay. There were some rough patches when they thought they could come to ya and get bailed out for breakin' the rules and what not. But for the most part, the one or two trouble makers are startin' to settle down and put forth an effort."

"Trouble makers?"

"Yeah, there were two of 'em; both boys. They thought that they could get out of the work I was askin' them to do. Even went so far as to refuse to move when I told 'em to. So I took 'em out and made 'em do twice as much as anyone else. When the class was told to do 20 reps on each machine, I made 'em do 40 at a slightly lighter weight. When the class had to run 2 miles, I made 'em run 4. Stuff like that. After the third day they decided they'd rather do less work when I asked 'em to."

Xavier seemed pleased. "I must say, you handled that well Logan. Have you decided when they'll begin combat training?"

Logan nodded. "Next week we'll start with basic moves; punches, blocks, kicks that sorta thing. I'll be watchin' each one and taking each one aside trying to see what might work best for 'em. It looks like I should end up with about four or five different groups trainin' in different areas. I hope to have 'em sparrin' by then end of next month."

Xavier looked a bit concerned at that statement. "So soon? I had thought you'd hold off sparring for a few months yet."

"Normally I might agree with you; but this ain't the time to beat around the bush with this. These kids are growing up in a world that hates 'em for how they were born. We can't stop the war forever Chuck; when it comes, I want these kids to be prepared." Logan knew that Xavier did not share his opinion. But they both knew that the students had to be prepared for any eventuality.

Xavier sighed loudly and promptly changed the subject. "What about Ororo? How is she coming along?"

Logan couldn't help but smile when the professor asked about her. "We started hand to hand trainin' the second day. She's surprised me several times this week; not only with what she can do but what she's willin' to do. I think she's managed to pick up a great deal; she just didn't know how to use it or maybe was a little unsure. But she's a natural. I don't understand why she didn't try and learn all this sooner." Logan fought the urge to tell him that he was discovering that there was even more to their resident weather goddess than he had ever thought possible.

"Maybe she just needed the right teacher."

Logan grunted again, trying to hide the pleasure that Xavier's comment gave him.

"Well, I think that's enough for now. I look forward to hearing more next week. I for one am looking forward to a quiet evening of reading. Enjoy your beer Logan; you've earned it."

Somewhat surprised by the last comment, Logan said good night and left Charles to his quiet evening.

* * *

As Logan wandered out of the mansion towards the garage, a movement on the roof caught his eye. He looked up to see Ororo leaning out the window of her attic loft, staring off into the horizon, watching the sun set. Seeing her standing there, at that moment a part of neither heaven nor Earth, Logan suddenly found he didn't want to spend the evening alone. "Hey Storm."

She jerked out of her reverie and looked down at him standing on the lawn.

"Ya wanna join me for a drink and a ride?" For a moment she looked as if she was going to turn him down and he felt annoyed at the disappointment this caused him.

In the next, she leaped from the window and slowly floated down to him with a smile upon her face. "I could use a beer. Thank you Logan." She walked towards the garage with Logan trailing behind her.

"Don't mention it." He said, even as he wondered, _she drinks beer? _

They roared away from the mansion a few moments later on his motorcycle. Logan noticed the shocked looks on the faces of the students they passed by. He heard Ororo laugh with delight behind him as he sped up, the wind whipping through her long white hair.

* * *

Logan took Ororo to a nearby bar; a much nicer one than he would normally frequent. He figured that she wasn't in the mood for a brawl. He was surprised that she so readily agreed to come with him; and he was even more surprised when she ordered an import beer known to have a bit of a strong kick to it. 

While they sat waiting for their drinks, Logan found himself pondering the enigma that was Ororo Munroe. Who was this woman who could go from elegant and poised regal beauty to down and dirty redneck in a single breath? He had never seen this side of her before and from the faces of those they sped past as they left the mansion, he had a feeling that very few others ever did either.

The waiter set their drinks down a few moments later and Logan took his eyes off of her long enough to grab his beer.

"You have been staring at me ever since we walked in here. Why?"

Logan shrugged taking a gulp of his drink before answering. "Yer a puzzle 'Ro. I never figured ya for a beer drinker."

She raised her eyebrows at the nickname. "'Ro?"

He took another swig. "What's a matter, don't ya like it?" She laughed, the sound of it touching something inside him.

She took a drink of her own beer, smiling as she did so. "As a matter of fact I do like it. As for me drinking beer, you have never asked me before."

"True enough. Ya got anymore surprises for me tonight darlin'?"

Her eyes lit up with mischief as she shrugged. "If you were any other man Logan I would say you were flirting."

"And if you were any other woman 'Ro, I'd say ya were encouragin' me. So what do ya have in store to surprise me with tonight?"

She looked around and her eyes stopping at the pool table. He followed her eyes and decided that he liked this new side of her that he was being shown.

"I take it ya play."

She nodded. "But it has been awhile. Before Remy came, I used to play with Scott but he is a bit of a sore loser."

"No, not One Eye, say it ain't so."

Ro laughed at the heavy sarcasm in Logan's voice. "Yes, believe it or not. When Remy came, it was like old times. We would go out every weekend to shoot some pool and grab a beer. But ever since Remy met Rogue, well he has had very little time for anything else."

Logan nearly choked on his beer at that revelation. "I thought she was seein' Bobby."

She shook her head. "Not for awhile now. You need to catch up on your school gossip. Bobby started seeing Kitty soon after he and Rogue called it quits. Then Remy showed up and swept her off her feet so to speak. I have never seen anything like it. I have known Remy a long time; we wandered around New Orleans together for awhile before I came up here to join the X-men. And in all that time, I have never seen him so taken with a girl before. For the first time since I have known him, it is like no one else exists for him."

Logan took a drink of his beer pondering what he'd just been told, wondering why Rogue hadn't bothered to tell him about it.

"She did not want to tell you. She thought maybe you might be worried about her or worse be angry at Drake for hurting her. You need not worry, the split was amicable; they felt something for each other but when Remy came, it was no longer enough for either of them."

Logan looked into his beer fighting the urge to fire questions at Ororo about the young man's character and past dating history. He really had no right; he wasn't Rogue's father. But he felt an inexplicable need to protect her even as he acknowledged that she was a strong young woman who had been through a great deal and managed to live through it.

Ororo touched his arm, seeming to have read his thoughts. "He really is a fine young man Logan. He is so enamored with Rogue, I do believe that he would throw himself in front of a speeding train before intentionally hurting her."

Logan laughed as he slugged down the rest of his beer. "I'm that transparent?"

Ororo chuckled, pulling her hand from him. "You cannot help it. The two of you share a bond and you feel a need to protect her because so many others have tried to hurt her."

Logan nodded and stood up, heading to the pool table. "Tell ya what darlin'. I'll forget all about what ya told me if ya play a game of nine ball with me."

"What is the wager?"

"Wager?"

"Come now Logan, we cannot play a game of pool without a wager."

"What'd ya have in mind?"

"No money, just a simple exchange of services. If I win you shall teach me how to ride your bike."

Logan couldn't hide his surprise at her words. Of all the things she might have asked him for, it was the last thing he had expected. He never realized that she might ever have a desire to learn to ride a motorcycle. "All right. What do I get if I win?"

"What do you want?"

For a split second her softly spoken words sparked something inside him; something he hadn't felt in a very long time. In the next instant, before he could explore it or even begin to describe it to himself, it was gone. He shook his head slightly to shake the feeling from his mind and he gave her a sly grin. He knew exactly what he wanted and he also knew that she would enjoy it as well. "If I win, I want another movie marathon; but this time I get to pick the flicks." It seemed a perfect solution; in either event, if she won or if he did, he would get to spend more time with her. He decided that spending that time with her was vital if he was ever going to puzzle out the enigma that she had become to him. She held out her hand and he shook it firmly as they turned to the table which had just been declared a war zone.

* * *

Two hours later, Logan not only owed her lessons on how to ride his bike, but she had also conned him into helping her in her greenhouse for two weeks. After he had lost the first game, and the second, he had doubled his bet in an attempt to get something for himself out of the evening. But she had soundly trounced him, winning six games before he called an end to it. He had to admit that she wasn't rubbing it in, but he still couldn't believe that such guileless beauty could hide such a pool shark. 

"I still say ya cheated." He grumbled as they left the bar and walked towards his motorcycle.

Ororo looked indignant at the mere suggestion that the game had been less than honest. "I did no such thing. You are just angry that you missed that simple shot."

He laughed despite himself as he handed her the helmet. "Alright darlin'. That might have somethin' to do with it; but I don't know how ya could have possibly made some of those shots."

She put on her helmet and sat behind him as the bike roared to life. "Sheer skill Logan. I believe you owe me some lessons on how to ride this beast."

Logan popped it into gear. "Yeah darlin', I'll get right on that. How bout tomorrow after I've put yer ass on the mat a few more times."

She leaned closer, her voice soft and melodious in his ear. "If I did not know any better Logan, I might think you were disappointed at not seeing another Vin Diesal movie with me."

Logan growled and gave the bike some throttle, roaring off as her laughter floated off on the breeze.


	3. Rumors Abound

Summary: Logan and Ororo have started a few tounges wagging and someone decides to see just what's going on.

* * *

Things were relatively quiet for the next week; everything settled down after the upheaval his sudden arrival and introduction as a teacher had caused. The students began learning simple hand combat moves and Logan found himself with a new problem; the students began using what they were learning against each other outside of the classroom. He hadn't anticipated that happening for several more weeks and was unsure of how to handle the situation. The resulting injuries kept Jean and Hank quite busy and finally they asked him to step in and do something about it. So for the first time that he could ever think of, he found himself having to sit the students down for the 'responsible use of power' talk. 

He was rather surprised that not only did they all listen to what he had to say, but most of them took it to heart. And although the number of fights that broke out after his speech declined sharply, many squabbles were still solved, or even started, by the use of their mutant abilities. But he figured he'd said enough to them on that particular subject and that it now fell under the jurisdiction of the professor and Jean.

Despite the appearance of normalcy, Logan had his hands full his second week back and often worked late into the night trying to determine what each student's strengths and weaknesses were. He spent some time with Ororo when he was able but it was nothing substantial; mostly a quiet moment or two stolen in the greenhouse. But he was unable to begin her lessons on how to ride his motorcycle. She seemed sympathetic and patient but Logan still felt a twinge of guilt whenever he thought about the bet he'd made.

So, after a particularly grueling lesson on Friday, and before he had to meet with Charles for his weekly progress report, he strode into the greenhouse and tossed her the keys to his bike.

A gleam of joy lit up her eyes and she practically ripped the helmet he offered out of his hands. She ran from the greenhouse, her joy infectious. Logan couldn't help but chuckle that such a simple thing as learning to ride a motorcycle could change the often regal and dignified woman into an exuberant child.

He sat behind her on the bike, reaching around her to show her the controls as he told her what each one did. Then he had her start the bike and they were off. He let her go at her own pace, helping her to steer and shift whenever she drifted or seemed to need an extra set of hands. He had never thought to find such a situation so enjoyable but he found himself laughing quietly with her when she fumbled the controls or was heavy handed with the throttle. A few hours passed quickly without him realizing it as he let her drive wherever she wanted.

As the time passed, and she became more confident in her abilities, he let his hands fall down to her waist, where he rested them lightly on her hips. Her scent drifted back to him on the breeze and he found himself suddenly wondering how soft her hair was. Without thinking, he leaned closer to her and inhaled deeply, almost reveling in the scents of sandalwood and vanilla that combined with Ororo's own unique earthy smell. He found himself enjoying her scent immensely and wondered why he had never noticed how intoxicating it was before now. But he was broken from his thoughts by a mental query from the professor.

_Logan, have you forgotten what day of the week this is?_

Logan swore softy under his breath as the mental projection broke his pleasantly relaxed mood. _No, Chuck. Me and 'Ro just lost track of time. She asked me to teach her how to ride my bike and she was havin' such a good time that I forgot about our meetin'. We'll be back at the mansion in a few minutes._

There was a sense of amusement from the professor before he spoke again. _I shall see you then._

And then Logan was alone in his own mind once more. Logan leaned forward and spoke in Ororo's ear to be heard above the roar of the engine and the passing wind. "Sorry to break this short darlin', but Chuck needs ta see me."

She nodded and they headed back to the mansion. When they got there, Logan slid off the bike and turned to hurry up the stairs when Ororo's voice stopped him. "Logan?"

He turned back to her and she smiled at him as she tossed him the keys and the helmet.

"Thank you. I enjoyed that very much." She reached up and kissed his cheek. Her scent rose around him subtly and he grinned at her.

"Anytime darlin'. Glad ya enjoyed it." And he watched her walk away, back towards her greenhouse and her plants. For a moment or two, he felt the urge to blow off his meeting and follow her.

He knew that in the greenhouse, it would peaceful and quiet while the mansion could often not contain the chaos caused by its residents. But with a heavy sigh, his sense of duty won out and he trudged up the stairs.

* * *

He ran into Jean in the hallway again; only this time he was so distracted that he didn't catch her scent until she had collided with him. 

She flew backwards after hitting his chest and he reached out to steady her. "Logan, I'm sorry. I came to find you and tell you the professor is looking for you."

Logan smiled as he dropped his hand. "I know; he caught 'Ro and me out on the road. I got back as soon as I could."

A confused look swept over Jean's face. "'Ro?"

"Yeah, I'm sure ya've seen her around; can't miss her. Tall, dark skin, blue eyes, white hair; controls the weather."

Jean shook her head. "You and 'Ro?"

"Yeah, she beat me at a game of nine ball and I promised to give her lessons on how ta ride my bike."

Jean didn't bother to hide her skepticism. "Ororo Munroe asked you to teach her how to ride a motorcycle."

"Yeah, why's that so hard ta believe?"

After a moment or two Jean shrugged. "I guess I just never thought she had any interest in it."

"Me neither, until she asked. She's a natural." He leaned in closer and dropped his voice, speaking to her softly, flirting with her, teasing her. "Anytime you want Red, I'll teach ya how to ride for free." His double meaning was clear as he stared at her. He waited to see if his words would get a rise out of her or if she would simply ignore him.

A small smile lit her face as she shot back with her own innuendo. "No thanks Logan, Scott already taught me how to ride; a long time ago."

"Well, if ya ever want a few pointers, come see me."

She stepped closer, letting her voice drop, becoming suggestive. She even reached out and touched his cheek gently, watching his nostrils flare with excitement. "Don't hold your breath." With that parting shot, she walked off and left Logan chuckling softly as he went to meet with the professor.

hr

_Scott? _ Jean called to him through their mental link not bothering to wait to tell him about the latest gossip until she had found him. _Do you have a minute? _

He responded almost immediately. _Yeah what's up _

Jean didn't bother to hide her confusion and suspicions when she replied. _You are never going to believe what I just found out. _She told him quickly about running into Logan in the hallway and discovering that Logan and Ororo had been seeing a great deal of each other outside of the classroom.

Scott scoffed. _ Logan? Come on that guy is nothing but a pain in the ass. You can't seriously believe that something might be happening between them. _

Jean shrugged mentally. _I don't know; all I know is that I haven't seen much of her lately and both of them have been in really chipper moods. Hey you don't think they're… _

Scott stopped her sudden mental image and shivered. _If they are, I don't want to know about it. Don't put that mental image in my head Jean. _ There was a slight pause from him and then. _Who would have figured she had such bad taste._

_Sometimes honey, taste has nothing to do with it. _ She gave a slight mental giggle as she broke their connection. She decided that maybe it was time to seek out Ororo and get the truth straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

* * *

She found Ororo in her greenhouse humming as she tended to her plants. Jean studied her closely as she approached wondering to herself what looked different about her. 

Whatever it was, it was subtle. Her clothes and hair looked the same but the air about her, the way that she carried herself had changed slightly and Jean couldn't seem to put her finger on it.

"Good morning Jean. Do come in, unless you plan on standing there, staring at me for the rest of the evening."

Jean blushed slightly and sat down next to her quickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." She watched Ororo work for several moments before her friend looked up at her with a questioning look on her face.

"Did you come here for a specific reason or am I supposed to guess what you needed?"

Jean chuckled even as she pondered how to begin. "I know that I've no right to know, but I have to ask, as a friend, is it true?"

Ororo did not look away from the plants she was tending. "Is what true?"

"Did you really ask Logan to teach you how to ride his bike?"

"Of course I did; how else would I have gotten lessons. You know damned well that Scott and Remy had refused to teach me; though Goddess knows why."

She sounded calm, but Jean could sense the agitation and irritation the memory provoked. Jean also noticed that Ororo began patting the dirt around the new plants a little more forcefully than was needed as she continued talking.

"They said I might hurt myself. Damned sexist men anyway. Somehow, my abilities must have slipped their minds; as if I could not hurt myself riding the winds. No, they did not want to teach me simply because they look at their motorcycles as extensions of their male egos."

"Ororo!"

"Oh come off it Jean, we both know the truth; even if you will not admit it. Tell me, has Scott given in to your request to teach you?" Jean shook her head. "You see. I had to find someone to teach me. And since Logan was already willing to kick my ass in class, I assumed that teaching me how to ride was a minor request."

Jean shook her head ruefully, giggling a bit at the mental image Ororo's words produced. She had to admit, she was curious about Logan's teaching techniques; especially after seeing the results he was having with many of the students. "Is he that rough on you?"

Ororo dusted off her hands and reached for a watering can, the smirk on her face clearly visible. "You have no idea; sometimes I leave his class with every part of my body bruised and strained. And because of his abilities, he barely breaks a sweat."

Jean chuckled, understanding the underlying frustration that might cause her friend. "So what do you do?"

"I go to my room, take a very hot shower and plot how to throw his ass onto the mat."

They both laughed for several moments. Jean reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes as she came to the real reason why she had sought Ororo out. "I thought, for a second when he told me that maybe there might be something more to it."

Ororo turned and looked at her closely. "More, what do you mean by more?"

This time Jean blushed a bit as she tried to stammer out an explanation. "Its just that everyone said he took you out for a drink, and you have been spending a lot of time together, so naturally I just thought…"

Ororo stilled. "Thought what Jean?"

"That maybe you guys might be an item." She held up her hands as Ororo opened her mouth to reply. "I know, I know it seems a bit far fetched."

"Does the concept of him finding me attractive really seem that far fetched?"

Jean looked at her in shock, never intending for Ororo to think that no one would find her attractive. "Good God no Ororo, its just that I know how Logan can be; he can be pretty intense, sometimes even overwhelming."

Ororo's eyes went cold and her face stilled even as Jean realized what she had just unintentionally implied with her statement. "And you thought I could not handle him."

Jean could feel herself losing control of the conversation and suddenly wished that she had kept her mouth shut. "Yes, I mean no, I mean…" She took a deep breath and tried to catch her thoughts; the entire conversation had gotten way off base and out of control. "Listen Ororo, I just wanted to come out here and have a bit of girl talk and see if it was true. I have no intention of treating you like Scott and Remy would. I won't tell you to stay away from him, or tell you he's all wrong for you if that's how you feel about him; its really none of my business. But I just came to say, please be careful."

"You are right it is none of your business. But I do appreciate the gesture, no matter how badly it is delivered. And as for your question, no we are not an item. Logan and I just like spending time together. He does not judge me or expect anything more than I am willing to give. He simply sits with me and talks about the students, his class even his past, what little he remembers of it. And he likes to be around me because I understand him and can relate to him more than most others here."

"I'm not sure I follow you. What do you mean that you can relate to him?"

"We are a lot alike; both of us are driven by emotion and we are both passionate people. But for me, letting my emotions loose, even for a moment, poses a great risk to everyone around me. We both know that I could level this entire region with a mere thought."

Jean reached out and touched her shoulder, trying to offer her friend some comfort as she admitted that particularly difficult and dark truth. "But you don't."

Ororo shook her head, looking up into the beautiful blue sky. Jean could feel her friend's powerful mind reaching out towards the unseen currents of weather that surrounded them. She watched and sensed a feeling of calm come over Ororo as she turned back to her.

"No I do not. And I do not because I have learned the mental discipline to keep my emotions under tight control. Logan, believe it or not, is the same. His berserker rages are also sparked by strong emotions. He has managed to learn a semblance of control and it has allowed him to walk among us as a somewhat civilized individual.

"But he and I both know that everyday we walk a fine line between controlling our abilities and being controlled by them. I understand him, and he understands me, because we can both relate to the desire to let go and damn the consequences. We are kindred souls, he and I."

Jean pondered what Ororo had said for a moment and decided that enough soul searching had been done for the day. She reached up and kissed Ororo on the forehead before she turned and left the greenhouse. "You know where to find me if you need to talk 'Ro."

Behind her Ororo sighed as she pondered just how many rumors were likely to circulate about the friendship she was developing with Logan. She hoped for his sake, that he not only remained oblivious to them, but that the rumors remained mere hints.


	4. A Little Frivolous Fun

Summary: Ro manages to get Logan to exhibit some decidedly un-Logan-like behavior working in her green house. Halloween is also just around the corner and she cons him into participating.

Author's Note: I thought long and hard about Logan's costume; I mean it had to be something completely out of character, yet still something he would be willing to wear for her. I think I pulled it off rather nicely.

* * *

"Come on 'Ro, ya can't seriously expect me ta help in here fer that long. I can't believe that there'd be that much for me ta do in here anyway." 

Ororo stood in the doorway, blocking his attempt to leave, her hands on her hips as she stared him down. "Logan, we had a deal. You are my manual labor for two weeks; or do you plan to welsh on our bet?"

He growled at her softly hoping she might back down. She crossed her arms and continued to stare at him. He could see that she was not the least bit intimidated by his irritation and had no intention of backing down. He felt all the irritation that had built within him simply fade away. He held up his hands in surrender before he reached up to take off his hat. "Alright darlin', alright. I made a promise and I plan on keepin' it. What do ya need me ta move now?"

She smiled as she dropped her arms and walked past him to gather supplies for her next project. "Well, since you asked so nicely, you can start by grabbing that large bag of soil mix behind you. We are going to be working on the landscaping around the mansion."

He grabbed the bag, slinging it over his shoulder as she grabbed a basket of tools and walked out of the greenhouse. "Hold on, I thought our agreement was for work inside the greenhouse; you never said nothin' bout workin' on the mansion grounds."

Ororo smiled at him. Somehow, Logan knew that he had failed to hide the panic her words caused. Helping her in her greenhouse was one thing; it was sheltered from prying eyes and very few students came to see her in it. There was little chance that one of the students would see him "playing in the dirt" as he once put it.

But the mansion grounds were often crowded with young mutants socializing, playing various sports and basically enjoying the outdoors. He had no wish for them to see him as anything but the tough, kick ass man he was. He had a reputation to protect.

"Something the matter with working outside today Logan?" Her tone was soft, a bit mocking as she teased him. "Afraid perhaps that your bad boy reputation might be at risk by honoring your bet with me?"

He stiffened slightly as she continued to tease him and he could see that she was fighting the urge to laugh.

"I am sure the others will not even notice us. In fact, I am willing to make a wager that they do not."

Logan opened his mouth for a moment, nearly accepting her wager without thought, his instincts and pride urging him to act without thinking, when his brain promptly shut his mouth again. He looked at her for a moment as she stood before him, seemingly guileless as she baited him into a corner that he couldn't back out of.

"Yer good; but I haven't completely lost my mind. I'm not wagerin' with ya ever again; look at the mess it got me into last time." He pointed a finger at her as a smile broke out on his face.

She laughed. "You catch on quickly Logan. I see I will have to be a bit more devious in the future. But in reference to our agreement, I never stipulated that the work had to be within the greenhouse; I merely said that for two weeks, you would be my manual labor when I worked with my plants. One of my other duties is to attend to some of the plants around the mansion. So, you really have no choice."

Logan sighed loudly and gestured for her to lead the way. As she walked out of the greenhouse, he followed behind her, muttering angrily under his breath.

She turned to face him, a shadow of white covering the brilliant blue of her eyes; off in the distance there was a soft rumble of thunder. Her voice was midnight soft as she spoke. "What was that Logan?"

He stopped muttering immediately. "Nothin', 'Ro. Just talkin' ta myself."

"I am so glad to hear that." Her eyes returned to normal as she walked out of the greenhouse.

As he watched her walk out, he resisted the urge to glare daggers at her back.

* * *

For the next hour or so, he acted as her gopher, grabbing whatever she might have forgotten and moving various objects around the mansion. He quickly grew bored and wondered how much longer she was going to expect him to help her. His mind began wandering as he leaned against a nearby tree. 

He found his eyes drawn to her, studying her as she worked, admiring her graceful movements as she worked in the soil. He watched, fascinated as her small elegant hands gently, but competently set a bunch of new bulbs into their new homes. He was amazed at the different memories her hands evoked in him.

He had witnessed firsthand those same hands wield power beyond human imagining; harnessing raw lightning as a living weapon. More recently he had seen those hands used against him in their sparring sessions as he taught her to defend herself. Now, he was once again seeing a new side to her as she tended her plants. He watched in amazement as she called up a small rain shower for each bulb just planted, drenching it to ensure that it survived before moving onto the next one.

She turned to him, her soft voice pulling him from his strange thoughts. "Logan, could you please come here, I need a hand with something."

He grunted as he stepped away from the tree. She patted the ground next to her. Logan plopped down, albeit reluctantly. "Ain't that cheatin' darlin'?"

She smiled and shrugged. "Much simpler than a watering can; and there is less to carry when I do it this way."

He nodded once, the answer making a great deal of sense; even though he had never really given the matter much thought before. "What ya need darlin'?"

She smiled at him again as she handed him a plant bulb and the gardening trowel. He looked at the bulb as if it was something poisonous and unpleasant. "Ya can't be serious. Ya told me that I was manual labor, ya never said anythin' about havin' ta help ya plant the damn things."

She laughed as she placed the brown onion-like bulb in his hands. He took it reluctantly, knowing that if he tried to stop her, she would simply ignore him and roll over all his protests. "Come now Logan, working in the soil is very relaxing. You may find that you enjoy it."

He looked at her with unmistaken skepticism for several seconds before sighing loudly. "Yer not gonna let me out of this are ya?"

There was a sparkle of mischief in her eyes as she laughed softly, shaking her head slowly. He sighed loudly once more, taking the garden trowel from her. There was nothing that he could think of to deny her request. He had never thought to be cornered so effectively, by something as innocuous as a flowering bulb no less. "Where'd ya want this one darlin'?"

She smiled again as he dug into the spot she had indicated, placed the bulb in the hole and gently patted the soil around it once more. "See Logan, surely such an easy task is not above even you."

He watched as she watered it and handed him a new bulb. "Darlin', if ya ever tell anybody I did this willin'ly, I'll deny it and there'll be hell ta pay."

She laughed aloud, her voice full of mischief as they worked side by side to finish planting the remainder of the bulbs.

Logan didn't notice Jean watching the pair closely from a second story window. But if he had, he would have wondered at the troubled look on her face and the slight frown that marred it as she looked at the scene below her.

* * *

"Logan?" 

He heard Ororo's voice throughout the garage and wondered why he had the feeling she was about to corner him with something new. After being forced to plant flower bulbs with her for several days, he woke that morning with an overwhelming urge to do something extremely masculine involving tools, grease and gasoline. He'd been there for the better part of an hour trying to figure out what was wrong with Scott's car.

Somehow, and he still wondered just how, Jean had found him and suckered him into repairing it as a favor to her. Too bad she needed it fixed so that she and Scott could go out on a date. He was halfway tempted to sabotage the damn thing, just to yank Scott's chain. But thought better of it when he realized just what might happen if the two lovebirds found themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere.

"I'm in here darlin'. I'm 'bout to take a sledgehammer and a stick of dynamite to Cyke's car. Wanna help?" He stood up from the car as he heard her laughter approaching him. He reached over and grabbed a rag to wipe the grease and oil off his hands as he watched her walk up to him.

She gave him a rueful grin. "No, thank you Logan. Somehow I do not think that Scott would approve of the demise of his favorite car."

Logan grinned evilly and shrugged as she stopped in front of him. "So if yer not here ta help me create chaos and mayhem, what ya need?"

"I need a favor. I need your help with something."

Logan held up his hands and backed away from her. "Darlin' I honored our bet; my work finished in the greenhouse last week. Ya ain't getting' me to plant anymore bulbs, seeds or whatever else ya might be plannin'. I enjoy spendin' time with ya, but that's where I have to draw the line."

Ororo laughed. "I did not come out here to ask for your help with my plants Logan; I've already lost far too many to your black thumb anyway. Murderer."

Logan winced. "Ouch. A little harsh there don't ya think 'Ro?"

"Hardly. If I did not know any better, I would say that you sabotaged those seedlings as revenge for making you work outside where everyone could see you."

This time Logan laughed. "No. If I had done anythin' to 'em, it woulda been cause ya cornered me and used a bunch of psychobabble ta get me ta do what ya wanted. Now, what exactly do ya need 'Ro?"

"The children are getting very excited because Halloween is only a few weeks away. They wish to throw a party with games, hayrides and such."

Logan interrupted her. "Let me guess, ya need chaperones; and somehow my name just magically appeared on the list."

The twinkle of mischief in Ororo's eyes said it all. "Actually, the children asked me to ask you. You would be surprised how many of them actually like you. They feel that of all the teachers here, you are the coolest; present company excluded of course."

Logan bent under the hood of Scott's car again as he thought over her request. "I bet that has ta sting a little."

Ororo shrugged, leaning against the car, watching him work. "Perhaps. Will you help me chaperone the party?"

His face popped into view again as he looked at her earnest expression. "What do I get outta this deal?"

She looked at him in surprise. "Is my gratitude not enough?"

He chuckled. "How 'bout this. If I agree ta the party, ya have ta agree ta another movie marathon; only this time I get ta pick the flicks."

"But that was what you asked for when we wagered on a game of nine ball."

"Yeah, but I lost remember. Look, ya seem to be hooked on this Vin Diesal guy; and while his flicks ain't bad, I think yer missin' out on a lot of classic action movies. What d'ya say?"

She shook her head as she leaned away from the car and began walking away. "Agreed Logan. I shall give you the details as soon as I have them."

He turned his attention back to the engine when her voice drew him back out.

"Oh and Logan, we will be discussing your costume just as soon as the children decide on a theme."

He stood up quickly, forgetting that he was still under the hood of Scott's car, smacking his skull into it hard enough to dent it slightly. "Costume? Ya didn't say nothin' 'bout no costume. 'Ro, get back here." She continued walking away, her chuckle of amusement reaching his ears. He swore softly as he realized that she had indeed gotten more devious; and she'd managed to corner him again.

* * *

"'Ro, this thing itches. Why the hell did ya have to pick this costume anyway?" He reached up to scratch again and she slapped his hand lightly. 

She readjusted his hat and stepped back, eyeing him closely. "Because Logan, the children decided that they wanted the theme of the party to be popular movie characters. And the only way we were not going to have 20 spiderman or batman costumes was to assign the costumes randomly. I drew this one out of the hat for you because you were not there at the time. I actually think you look adorable." She readjusted some strands of straw as she spoke.

Logan grunted again and spit straw out of his mouth. "A scarecrow, 'Ro? Complete with bright red cheeks? Why don't ya just pin a "kick me" sign on my forehead?"

Ororo swatted his arm gently. "Hush. Be thankful that the cowardly lion was not among the choices."

Logan cringed at her words. If he had been forced into that choice…he couldn't even think beyond that. "Okay, so I somehow ended up as the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. But how in the hell did you get Glenda the good witch?"

Ororo smiled slightly and turned him so he was facing the large mirror in her room. "That is my secret."

Something in her tone made him suspicious. Somehow he knew that his appearance in this costume was anything but chance. He growled softly as she began applying more make-up. If he ever managed to find proof that she had done this intentionally, she was going to pay. "Well at least yer costume makes sense. It don't make you look like a complete jackass. I swear, when I find the kid that suggested this costume, I'm gonna make him pay."

Ororo grabbed her wand from off her bed and handed it to him while she adjusted her crown in the mirror. "Really Logan. Just what do you plan to do?"

"I'll let ya know when I figure that part out. If one person laughs at me tonight…" He let the threat trail off.

She ignored him as she grabbed his hand and led him, albeit reluctantly, from the room.

* * *

Downstairs, deep in the basement, the workout room and several nearby rooms had been converted to hold refreshments, games and dancing. The students were mingling between them freely, each dressed in a lavish costume. 

Logan and Ororo had arrived several minutes before the first students to make the final preparations for the party. The adults had decided to throw the party on a Friday; there was less time for everyone to prepare for the party but more time to recover and repair the damage afterwards.

Logan tried in vain to forget how he was dressed; hoping that perhaps if he didn't seem to notice how ridiculous he looked, then perhaps no one else would either. But his hopes were in vain when the children started to arrive in small groups.

The first one to spot him was Jubilee; and she spotted him long before he was aware of her. He didn't remain oblivious for too long though; her shriek at the sight of his costume was loud enough to deafen a deaf mute. He winced visibly as it echoed loudly in the gymnasium type room and turned to face the music.

"Love the threads Wolvie."

Logan raised a finger to point at her when what she had said really penetrated his brain. "Wolvie?" She giggled as she reached out to hug him warmly. "Please tell me ya ain't gonna pass that around."

"I have to admit Logan, I never expected to see you dressed like this."

Logan snorted loudly as he leaned closer. "Don't get used to it. I don't plan ta keep it up."

"Who wrangled you into this outfit?"

"Three guesses and the first two don't count." He looked over at Ororo who was standing behind the refreshment table talking to another group of students that had just shown up.

"Ms. Munroe? How on Earth did she manage that?"

Logan scratched his head. "I'm still tryin' to figure that one out myself."

Jubilee turned back to her friends and Logan looked up in time to see Jean walk in on Scott's arm. They were dressed as Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Logan would have found it charming if he hadn't been sickened by the fact that Scott looked right at home in the formal wear. They glanced around the room, looking at the students' costumes and checking to see who had arrived. Logan felt an overwhelming urge to hide before they could see him. But he didn't make it.

Jean spied him and her mouth fell open in surprise. She nudged Scott who looked at Logan for several moments in disbelief. Just when Logan began to feel truly uncomfortable and he was ready to flee the room, they walked up to him.

"Goodness Logan; I had no idea you had such Halloween spirit." Jean couldn't contain her mirth and began to giggle.

Logan shot Scott a look that would have bent steel as Jean lost it completely, laughing loudly. "She can laugh 'cause I don't make it a practice ta hit women unless they've hit me first. But one sound One Eye, and you and me'll have ta step outside."

Scott held up his hands and managed to contain his amusement.

Ororo came up to them, moving gracefully in her floor length pink gown.

Jean grabbed her friend's arm as the last of her laughter faded away. "I suppose you are responsible for his outfit?"

"Guilty as charged. Although now I wished that I had pushed for the Cowardly Lion." They both burst into new peals of laughter as Logan scowled fiercely at Ororo. Scott remained blessedly silent.

"'Ro, I would have paid to see that."

Logan turned away as they continued laughing. "Women." He muttered under his breath as he turned his attention to ignoring the looks and comments that were beginning to float his way.

* * *

"I am pleased that most of the students enjoyed your costume Logan." 

Logan grunted, not wanting to say anything about what he really thought of his costume. The party had come to a close, near midnight, and the last of the students had been sent off to bed as the adults stayed behind and began cleaning up the mess left by the rambunctious teenagers.

She smiled at his grunt. "Although I must ask how you managed to get them to stop laughing and making snide comments."

This time, the smile that Logan gave her was chilling. "It wasn't too hard; luckily most of 'em are in my self defense class. A comment or two implyin' a change of grade or a personal sparrin' session with yers truly was enough ta stop most of 'em."

Ororo shook her head as she continued to clean up the trash from the party. "Logan, that was hardly fair. Surely you realize that was tantamount to blackmail."

Logan grabbed the last stack of dirty dishes as he left the room and headed to the kitchen. "It worked didn't it?"

She followed him out carrying the trash bags. "You are incorrigible Logan."

"I try darlin'. I try." They walked into the kitchen and there was silence for several moments as Logan put the dishes down and Ororo took the garbage bags outside. While she was outside, Logan began washing the dishes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ororo walk back inside, unable to hide her surprise at seeing him with his arms elbow deep in sudsy water, washing the dishes.

"I never figured you were such a domestic Logan."

He reached over and threw her a dishtowel. "Yeah, well you can dry." They stood side by side for several long moments washing the dishes. Logan watched her out of the corner of his eye as she dried the dishes, humming quietly to herself.

She had removed her costume before starting on the cleanup; but she had left her hair and make up alone. Logan found himself wondering why he had never before really noticed how beautiful she was.

"Logan, if you keep washing that plate, you will wear the glaze off the porcelain."

Logan started at her voice and looked down guiltily at the plate he'd been washing for the past several moments. He rinsed it off and passed it to her. "Sorry darlin'. My mind seems ta be a million miles away right now."

"Is there anything you wish to talk about?"

"No, not really. But thanks 'Ro."

"Anytime Logan."

"Hey 'Ro?"

"Yes Logan?"

"I had a fun tanight, believe it or not. Thanks fer asking me ta help. It was nice ta see the kids havin' such a good time."

She smiled at him as she took the next dish from him. "I am glad Logan. Now let us finish these dishes; I do not know about you but I cannot wait to fall into bed."

He chuckled, whole heartedly agreeing with her even as he felt his mind once again contemplating Ororo in an entirely new light.

* * *

The weekend passed by in a blur after that; Logan and 'Ro went out riding everyday when neither was busy with other duties. He found it a different change of pace to go for a ride on his bike and have someone else do the driving; different but very enjoyable. Logan even found the time to have a quiet dinner with Marie where he broached the topic of her new relationship with Remy. 

"How ya been doing with yer studies."

Marie shrugged as she ate. "Fine, Ah guess. Ah like most of my classes but there are a couple that give me a hard time."

'Like what?"

"Well, history for one. But only because Ah really don't like it much; it's kinda boring."

Logan grunted; he wasn't sure he liked history much either. "What else?"

"Metal shop, believe it or not."

Logan glanced at her sharply, surprise on his face at her words. "They're makin' ya take metal shop here?" She nodded. "What for?"

"Scott says it'll round out our abilities; gives us the knowledge of how things work and how to do minor repairs when needed. Ah think it's a mind game; that he just wants to torture us."

"Yeah, well ole One Eye might just be the type ta do that ta someone like me, but I think he might have a point there." Rogue looked at him as if he'd suddenly grown another head. "I know, as strange as it sounds, I actually agree with the jerk."

"Ah never thought Ah'd see the day that you'd agree with him."

"Yeah well, I'm just thinkin' about all the times I've been stranded and basic mechanical knowledge has pulled my ass out of the wringer. If ya want, I can help ya with that class." The look of gratitude and hope on Marie's face was all the reward that Logan would ever ask for. He was surprised to feel it filling him with a sense of warmth he hadn't felt for a long time.

"Oh would ya Logan? Ah really don't understand what Ah'm doing in the damn class." He raised a brow at her language and she looked chagrined. "Sorry."

"How 'bout tomorrow, after self-defense? Ya got an hour free right?" She nodded. "Fine, meet me in the garage after you've showered."

"Thank you Logan."

"Don't mention it kid. Now, before I forget, what about this new guy you been seeing, this Remy?"

The overjoyed look on Marie's face faded away. "Don't tell me that you're going to start on me too."

Logan's face registered confusion. "Who else has been on you about him?"

"Ms. Munroe for one, not to mention Bobby. Like he has much room to talk, hooking up with Kitty so quickly."

"Storm was against ya seeing him?" He didn't even bother to hide his surprise at her statement; especially after the conversation that he and Ororo had had over a month ago about the same subject.

"No, but she did ask me to be careful; said Ah shouldn't jump into anything too quickly. She also said it was more important to listen to my heart than my hormones."

Logan was swallowing at the exact moment she repeated those sage words of wisdom and suddenly found himself choking. Marie reached up and thumped him between the shoulder blades forcefully as he coughed repeatedly.

"I didn't need to hear that." He wiped his mouth and looked at her, his face serious. "Rogue, we both know that I'm not your father and I'm not gonna act like I am. But I just want to be sure ya understand that all of us are only saying these things cause we care what happens to ya. If he makes ya feel pressured, about anything, ya come see me or Ms. Munroe or any of the other teachers. Promise me." The tone of his voice was serious and his eyes never wavered from Rogue's face.

She understood him; better than any other person alive. He knew that. And because he knew that, he also knew that she would understand how much it took for him to open up this way. Her tone was just as serious as his had been. "Ah promise."

Satisfied, he nodded turning the topic to lighter conversation, ribbing her and the other students in his class as they finished their meal together.

* * *

The month of November continued on with hardly a chaotic whimper as Logan began working the students in sparring pairs. He also divided the students into different groups, each one learning a slightly different fighting style best suited to their individual abilities. He even stepped up their endurance training, adding another mile to their daily run and increasing the amount of weight training they did. 

As for Ororo, she continued to excel and he began to look forward to their daily sparring sessions with a sense of anticipation. He continued to knock her on her ass several times a session but she was definitely progressing. He was finding that it took slightly longer to put her down each time he did it. And he knew that it wouldn't be much longer before she managed to put his ass on the mat.

They also continued to ride together whenever they could spare the time. Sometimes, he would let Ororo drive and sometimes not. They explored a great deal of the surrounding area and found the need to venture out further a field to avoid boredom. The two of them roaring off together became a common sight around the school.

Logan kept his promise to Rogue and began to help her with her classes when he was able. She admitted that she still didn't like the subjects that were taught in her shop class. After tutoring her for awhile, Logan realized that she simply had no desire whatsoever to master basic carpentry, metalworking and automotive skills. But she did manage to understand them better and to improve.

Logan also kept his word to her about not speaking against her seeing Remy; that didn't stop him however from spying on her when she met him a few times. He had heard a great deal about the young man from the short letters Ororo and Jean had sent him while he had been away; even Rogue had mentioned him.

But Logan never trusted other people's impressions when it came to those they cared about. So he had decided that perhaps it was time to see just what the young man was made of. He got his chance when he managed to finagle some free time and came upon Remy shooting some hoops alone on the basketball court.

"Ya must be Remy."

Remy stopped shooting and turned to look at him, his eyes guarded. "Dat would be me."

Logan noticed his heavy New Orleans accent.

"And just who might you be?"

"The name's Logan; I'm the self defense teacher."

Remy nodded and turned to shoot a basket. "Ah, Rogue has spoken of you."

"Has she."

"Remy t'ought you would be taller."

Logan was speechless for several seconds wondering just how he should react to that statement when he noticed the twinkle in Remy's strangely red eyes. He started chuckling. "I get that a lot." He held his hands up and Remy passed him the ball; for several moments there was silence as they played a friendly game of one on one. During the game, Logan watched Remy carefully, noticing how he moved and stepped around the court. What he saw surprised him.

Remy was lightning quick and surefooted. He was light on his feet and his body moved with a mind of its own; his eyes never gave away what his next move would be. He understood now why Remy hadn't been included in his classes; the kid was deadly grace and lethal precision walking. The game ended in a tie and they walked in companionable silence back to the mansion.

"Logan, not dat Remy is not grateful for da game, but why did you seek him out?"

For a moment or two, Logan was thrown by Remy referring to himself in the third person. "I wanted to see you move; figured a game of ball would be the best excuse."

"Logan, surely dat is not de only reason. Is dere not'ing else?"

"Yeah Cajun, there is. I came out here to talk about Marie."

"Rogue? Remy don't understand."

"Listen, I know I'm not her father and I'm not gonna pretend to be. But the girl is really special to me. She's had some bad things happen to her; some people have tried to kill her for what she can do. I'm not saying you'd do the same. All I'm asking is the two of you be careful, please. I'd hate to have to take you apart."

"You could try Logan, but Remy tink you'd have a hard fight on your hands, non?"

Logan stood there, his body language relaxed but his face hard and unreadable. "Don't bet on it Cajun."

"Fine; Rogue and Remy be careful. You have Remy's word."

"Good enough." Logan grasped the young man's hand firmly. When Remy's hand tightened on his own, Logan nearly laughed. Obviously the young man hadn't managed to read up on all of his team members yet if he was trying to turn the handshake into a pissing contest. He resisted the urge to tighten his own. With his metal laced bones, it would be a cold day in hell before Remy ever managed to make him flinch. After a few moments, he dropped his hand. "Now, how 'bout another game? I hate ties."


	5. Sudden Realization

Summary: Logan has a life altering epiphany one morning, and reaches a startling realization about someone close to him.

* * *

A few days later, early in the morning, Logan wandered down to the kitchen to grab something to drink, and maybe make something to eat. He found Jean sitting at the small kitchen table, nursing a glass of orange juice. For a brief moment, he wondered at the expression on her face. 

She seemed deep in thought; and by the frown that marred her beautiful features, those thoughts were not pleasant. He had no time to ponder either her frown or her thoughts as she realized that someone had entered the room. He watched as she hid her worries behind a cheerful mask.

"Hello Logan."

He stopped at the fridge, opening it. "Hey Jeannie." He stuck his head into the fridge, as a strange feeling swept over him. It was an itching sensation in the back of his mind; something others had often joked was his version of ESP. Logan had never really believed that himself thinking it had more to do with his acute senses telling him that something was slightly off with the world around him and it was nearly always right. Often going off just before an ambush or other violent encounter occurred.

The kicker for him now, would be to determine just what was wrong at that moment; given that he little or no expectation of someone being able to sneak past both Jean and the professor in an effort to kill him. He blindly grabbed several items from the fridge, as he pondered what had set the feeling off.

He placed everything he'd pulled out of the fridge on the island, mindlessly chopping vegetables as he looked around the room slowly. He had taken everything in the moment he'd walked through the door; a clear snapshot of the room's setup and everything that was in it. It was a lingering skill from his military days and he knew that all he had to do was close his eyes and he would see a perfect mental image of the room. But he wanted to study it closely, one piece at a time as he pondered just what had set off the buzzing in the back of his mind.

For the moment, he ignored Jean in order to study the objects within the room. But nothing that he looked at changed the buzzing in his head. Everything, so far as his expert gaze could tell, was exactly as it had been yesterday and all the previous days since he'd come home. So he turned his attention to the only thing left in the room that was different; Jean.

She was back to brooding over her glass of orange juice and he wondered just what thoughts she could be thinking that could possibly mar her beautiful face. If he'd had any say in the matter, he'd be sure that she'd never have reason to frown ever again. In fact, he knew that he would gladly spend the rest of his life making her happy just for the joy of seeing her smiling face.

His thoughts were interrupted as he realized that the buzzing in his head had grown louder; in fact he almost swore that he could hear it. Almost as if he had a hive of bees living inside his head.

He continued to watch Jean from the corner of his eyes for several moments trying to pinpoint just what it was about her that could be causing his reaction. He sniffed the air and he couldn't smell anything different. He couldn't see any difference in the way that she moved or spoke so there was no way that she was being copied by a morphing mutant. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something different about her.

Or perhaps it wasn't her that was different; perhaps what was different was his perception of her. The buzzing subsided as he played a hunch. He looked directly at her, filling his eyes with her vibrant image as he also inhaled deeply at the same time flooding his acute senses with her presence. Despite her visual image and her vivid scent flooding his nostrils, Logan felt nothing.

He sensed her presence; he knew that she was flesh and blood and that she was real. But she might as well have been a stranger that he'd just met for all the emotion that her presence evoked in him. Instead there was a void of feeling inside him that he had never before associated with her.

He inhaled again, a feeling of confusion and slight panic flowing over him as he tried to understand what was wrong. With a flash, it hit him. Feeling nothing, even when he knew Jean was nearby, even when he could sense a minor trace of her presence was what was different.

Always before, when he had sensed Jean, either by her scent or having caught a glimpse of her, he had felt yearning well up inside him; almost a burning need to be near her. Sometimes it was so intense, he couldn't see anything else and it threatened the tenuous control he held over his baser, more feral self. It had been that way from the very first moment they met; Logan had never questioned it nor had he tried to understand it. It simply was a part of who he was.

But now, as he watched her sitting at the table, he realized that something, somewhere had changed for him. He still felt an attraction towards her; but it was tempered somehow. It no longer felt so vivid, as sharp as before. In fact, the only way that he could describe what he felt now, would be to say that it was similar to the reaction he might have upon seeing a beautiful woman walk down the street.

Having had this startling, life altering epiphany in a matter of moments, Logan promptly sliced his thumb open. He stared dumbly at the blood flow and open wound, barely registering the pain it had caused him.

Jean jumped up from her spot at the table and rush to him. "Heavens Logan."

He felt Jean reach around him and grab a towel, which she promptly wrapped around his spurting thumb.

"You'd think that with six razor sharp blades permanently attached to you, you'd know to be more careful." She unwrapped the towel for a moment and noticed that the wound had already begun to knit together thanks to Logan's unique gift.

Logan, realizing that Jean was holding his hand, pulled away; his face unsure and a bit confused as he turned to throw the towel in the garbage.

She looked at him, her expression puzzled. "Logan, are you alright?"

He turned to look at her, seeing the genuine concern on her face. "Yeah Jeannie, I'm fine; just wasn't payin' attention." She didn't look convinced and he could see that she was tempted to press him further. Before she could question him further, he took the coward's way out. "I left something plugged-in in the garage; I'll be right back." With those hasty, and obviously false words, he fled from the kitchen, needing to put a bit of space between himself and the sudden disturbing realization he had just reached.

* * *

Logan sat deep in the woods mulling over his thoughts as he pondered what he had realized in the kitchen. He thought back over the last couple of months trying to pinpoint when or what had triggered his loss of attraction to Jean. He closed his eyes, letting the smell of nature and the sounds of the forest sooth his frayed nerves. He had loved Jean from the moment he met her and he knew that Jean had felt something for him; she'd never denied it and he'd smelled it on her on several occasions. And Scott's annoyance over the whole thing had been icing on the cake. 

But now, now something had changed and he couldn't put his finger on what, or when. Sure he hadn't seen much of Jeannie in the last two months; she seemed to be avoiding him until she needed him for something. But that had never seemed to matter before. All the other times that he'd left and come back, everything had stayed the same. He'd flirt with her, she'd flirt back, Scott would get pissy and they'd go around again. Even his latest arrival had been no different. He'd felt the desire hit him like a punch in the gut the moment he'd caught her scent when he'd walked in the mansion. But now, well now he wasn't sure about any of it. So what had changed?

Logan lay under the thick canopy of trees for over an hour pondering what might have happened. But nothing came to mind. He growled in frustration as several times, the answer formed only to cloud over and disappear back into the depths of his mind once more. He stood, his annoyance written in every tense line of his stance as he walked out of the woods back towards his bike. It seemed that he wasn't going to be gifted with the answer just yet. And standing in the woods, no matter how it might soothe him, wasn't going to bring him clarity anytime soon. Maybe if he ignored it, let it roll around in the back of his mind long enough, something would hit him. Without that last thought, he hopped on his bike and roared back to the school; he had a sparring session with Ororo in an hour.

* * *

It had taken a little over two months to happen. In fact, for such a small instance of time, it had taken a remarkable amount of work to accomplish. It was over before Logan even realized it had happened. Somehow, maybe because he was distracted, maybe because he was still shaken up about the thing that morning with Jeannie, or maybe it was sheer skill on her part he didn't know. However it happened, Logan couldn't stop the surge of pride he felt in his heart, even as he felt his ass hit the mat. 

He looked up to see Ororo breathing heavily, standing over him in a defensive stance as she waited for him to leap up and attack again.

It took her a second or two to realize just what she had done. A look of surprise and fierce joy overtook her as she fell out of her stance and began an impromptu victory dance around the room.

Logan watched her for several seconds, feeling a shade of annoyance building as she forgot and ignored every rule of fighting he'd managed to teach her. He stood up quietly, using her distraction against her as he pinned her face first into the nearest wall.

She stilled as he pressed against her, the sharp i snikt /i of his unsheathed claws echoing loudly in the still room.

He hoped that the sound would serve as a reminder of how foolish it was to ignore a supposedly fallen foe. "Real good darlin'. But next time, it might not be me yer fightin'. Never assume that just 'cause they ain't movin', they're finished." He couldn't help but feel pride at what she had managed to do; but he'd seen pride and impetuousness get people killed. He knew that she was aware that what they did on Xavier's team was dangerous; she'd have been a fool not to. But she had taken that responsibility upon herself; and if she was killed fulfilling that responsibility there was no one to blame for her taking the risk.

But this was different. He had taken on the responsibility of training her, teaching her what he knew. If she found herself in a situation where she made a mistake and it cost her her life through a lack of skill, he would blame himself. Because somehow, he hadn't managed to teach her enough. He wasn't sure that he could live with that and he didn't ever want to find out. He had to be sure that she understood just how serious what he was teaching her really was.

She nodded. "I shall remember Logan. It will not happen again." Her voice was husky and breathless.

It stirred something inside him. He caught a whiff of her scent just then; it was heavy, mixed with her sweat and the other orders in the room. He found himself leaning closer, sniffing at her hair and marveling in her unique smell. He could hear a part of his mind awaken and become restless at that smell. And the elusive emotion he'd had the night he'd taken her out for a beer resurfaced. Only this time, it wasn't elusive and didn't fade away the moment he focused on it.

A thought popped out the depths of his mind, coming to the forefront in an instant You want her. It startled him and he let her go abruptly and backed away trying to put some space between them. He turned and walked hurriedly towards the shower rooms. Trying to hide the evidence of how much he suddenly wanted her.

She turned around. "Logan?"

He called back over his shoulder, not wanting to turn around. "That's enough for today 'Ro. I'll give you a freebie for knocking me on my ass." He left the room quickly, no further explanation given.

* * *

Logan stood under the stinging spray of the shower trying to pound the disturbing thoughts out of his head. How had it happened? When had it happened? Why had it happened? He knew that he'd always felt close to her; she understood him, more than anyone else save Marie. And he wasn't sure that it was the same thing. Marie understood him because she'd absorbed his memories on more than one occasion. She knew the demons he battled with on a regular basis. 

But Ororo was different; she had no first hand knowledge of what he'd been through in his life; she only had a vague idea of what had been done to him to give him an indestructible skeleton. But she understood something fundamental about him; he knew that well. She understood the beast within him; understood that sometimes, he was a hairsbreadth away from losing control over the animal part of himself. She understood because she had often felt the same way herself. And he knew that there were very few people in the world, even at the mansion who would even attempt that same understanding.

She had told him why she felt connected to him often enough; because he fundamentally understood her. Neither of them had ever passed judgment on the other; neither of them sought to gain something other than friendship from the other; and no matter how painful they had always been truthful with each other. So now he wondered just how he could face her again and hide what he felt. She wasn't Jean; she wasn't someone that he could attempt to sweep off her feet with simple intense sessions of flirting.

She was Storm, the weather goddess made flesh, the wind rider; a mutant so powerful that many feared just the thought of what she could do. She was also Ororo Munroe; a woman so elegant and sophisticated that he figured he had little or no chance with her. She deserved someone better than a semi-feral mutant whose hands were covered in more blood than any other man alive; someone who could offer her the platitudes and sweet words that she deserved; not someone who often grunted and growled to convey his emotions.

With a feeling of disgust, Logan turned the shower off, hating himself for feeling such self doubt. But he had to be realistic. Why would she ever want him? A part of his mind spoke up again; the same part that spoke earlier when he realized that he was attracted to her.

But she's also 'Ro, the woman who asked me to teach her how to kick someone's ass, the woman who went out to bar with me for a beer and proceeded to kick my ass at nine ball. She's the same woman who asked me for lessons on how to ride my bike and who conned me into planting flower bulbs and dressing like a scarecrow for a Halloween party. He smiled at the memory of her hustling him at pool. So where do I go from here? He sighed loudly as he pulled his clothes on. "I have no idea."

* * *

More than a week passed before Logan figured out his next step. More than a week of avoiding Jean and pretending that nothing had changed between them when he couldn't. More than a week of distraction and relative silence during his classes with the children. More than a week of sparring with Ororo and trying to quiet the yearning, aching void inside himself while he pretended that nothing had changed between them as well. 

He had come to a realization that he couldn't just ignore what he felt; he couldn't ignore something that he'd just discovered before he'd even had a chance to explore what it might mean. With Jean, deep down he knew that he'd had little chance of tempting her away from Scott; she really truly loved him. He knew that and so he'd just stood back and dreamed of what might be. But Ororo was single, she was an adult and he had no intention of letting what he felt fade away before he could see what it might become.

The problem was that he had no idea on what to do next. He wasn't sure just how Ororo might react if he asked her out directly. He had no fear of rejection; he'd been rejected before and could deal with it well enough. But he was afraid that if she did tell him no, the friendship they shared would be changed forever. He didn't want to risk it. He decided that the best way to approach the whole thing was to know more about Ororo.

It was no longer enough to understand her and accept her simply as she was; though that was important. No, for this to succeed, he needed to know how far he could push; how far inside she would let him before slamming up her barriers. He'd seen her do it often enough before when she thought someone was getting too close. At first he'd thought that she was simply a private person who was very selective about who she let in. But now he wasn't so sure.

So he next pondered just who he could speak with. Remy was a possibility but he was afraid that the clever ex-thief would guess what he was up to and either use it against him or warn Ororo. Neither was a possibility he was willing to risk at this stage. He considered Hank; but the blue-haired doctor was leaving for the next two weeks for a medical conference in California. Logan knew he couldn't wait that long.

He never really even considered Jean; it would be awkward to say the least and she might jump to the wrong conclusions. Or perhaps they would be the right conclusions but he wanted to keep this below the radar for time being. So that really left only one person. After nearly nine days of distraction and frustration, he decided that enough was enough and he went to see the Professor.

Charles greeted him warmly when he entered the office. "Logan, how nice to see you outside of our weekly meetings. I hope that everything is going well for you." Charles waved him to sit down as he wheeled closer.

Logan sank into the seat, keeping his face neutral. But he felt a twitch of agitation trying to work its way free. He'd come to talk about Ororo in a round about way; he wasn't planning on revealing the depth of his feelings to the professor if he could avoid it. But there was something he needed to understand about her. "I have a bit of a problem Chuck."

Charles frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that Logan. Is it anything I can help you with?"

Logan nodded. "I think so; it's about 'Ro."

"What about her?"

Logan shrugged unsure of how to broach the topic without appearing too forceful. He needed information from a willing participant; not a lecture from someone who was suspicious. "Well, she and I've been spendin' some time together outside of the mansion recently. She hustled me at a game of pool, I started teaching her to ride my bike, she even conned me into a ridiculous costume for the Halloween party."

The professor laughed as a set of pictures floated over from his desk. "Yes, she delivered these just this morning; I wondered who had managed to get you into that getup."

Logan smiled as he looked at the pictures but his face grew serious as he set them down. "I've known her a long time now; long enough for me ta know her pretty well. And I noticed somethin' recently that I'm a little concerned about; she don't have many friends does she? Real friends I mean? I would've asked her, but well I wasn't sure how ta and I don't want ta sound like I'm prying. I just get the feeling that she shuts a lot of us out; and she does it on purpose."

Xavier sighed. "Logan you might find that sometimes, she is a very open and honest person, willing to share her past."

Logan knew that already; he'd seen that side of her a lot since he'd come back. "And other times?"

Xavier simply shrugged. "Well, she can be very private as well. There are only a couple of people, other than you, that I know she shares her thoughts and emotions with on a regular basis. That need to keep herself separate from others comes in large part from her fears about her mutant abilities."

Logan nodded in an absent-minded way. "She's afraid that she might hurt somebody."

Xavier nodded. "Yes, she fears that very much. So she limits her personal contact with others. If I were you, I would feel very privileged to be among that elite group."

Logan nodded, feeling a ray of hope fill him at the admission that she perhaps wouldn't shoot him down just out of the gate. "I do. I was kinda surprised that she told me 'bout growin' up in Cairo; learnin' ta steal and pick pocket when she ran away from the orphanage. Was her life ever normal?"

The professor sighed as he set aside his teacup, his tone and bearing suddenly somber and serious. "No, I'm afraid it wasn't. You see, Ororo's parents were Americans; she was actually born in New York but they took her to Africa soon afterwards. The details that I have uncovered are vague, but I believe that around the time that she would have been 5 years old, there was an explosion at their hotel. The building collapsed, killing her father and trapping her and her wounded mother inside. They were trapped for hours and her mother died during that time. In fact, though Ororo had no physical wounds, the psychic trauma was devastating."

Logan nodded, the final piece clicking into place in his head "I wondered why she was so claustrophobic; it's rare enough that most people don't come by it honestly."

The professor nodded. "If you mean born with it, then yes that is correct, she developed the condition as result of the psychological trauma she suffered at the death of her mother. But I believe that something else happened to her as well that day to heighten the mental trauma even further. I believe that her powers spontaneously manifested soon afterwards as a result of the shock."

"You mean that her mutant powers have been active for that long?" At Xavier's nod, Logan felt a newfound respect for Ororo grow inside him. To have been put through the trauma of losing her parents and then be forced to realize that she wasn't normal. How could any child ever grow up to be a normal functioning adult?

"It's amazing that she managed to control them as well as she did for so long before I found her and managed to block a great deal of her strength. If she hadn't, I shudder to think of the consequences if she had lost control."

"Chuck, I don't understand. If you'd managed to block her that day she picked your pocket, then why didn't you bring her back here with you?"

"I tried; but there was some beauracratic nonsense that slowed the whole process down and by the time the smoke cleared and she was my responsibility, she was gone; off wandering the plains of the Serengeti."

Logan couldn't help himself, he was fascinated. He had known Ororo a long time but there had never been a need for such in depth sharing between them. There relationship was deep and fulfilling on its own merits; but now, well now he understood a little more about what made her so unique. "So what happened then? How did she still end up here?"

"I managed to locate her, at great mental cost to myself. You must remember that this all predates my establishment of the X-men and my building Cerebro. My reach was not quite as extensive then; but I did manage to implant a subconscious urge to come here, to Westchester, to meet me. It took some time, but she ended up here after another twelve years or so and she has remained here ever since."

"What about the years in between? Did you ever ask her about any of that?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did. She told me that she had been adopted by a tribe of nomads somewhere on the Serengeti. They worshipped her as a goddess because of her white hair and her ability to control the weather. They saw to her every whim so long as she provided rain whenever they requested. She stayed for a time but the suggestion that I had implanted was never far from her thoughts and so after awhile, she let it push her onto the next place."

"Let me guess, somehow she ended up in New Orleans." Logan knew that Remy thought of her as a sister and she had told them they spent some time together in New Orleans. But he had wondered just how that had managed to fall into place.

"Eventually yes; I suspect that she flew herself over here because she had neither passport nor birth certificate to prove her true heritage. It seems that the block I had placed upon her had begun to wear off and she came into her full power somewhere around fifteen years of age."

Logan whistled softly; to have been responsible for such great power for so long must be somewhat draining, to say the least. He found himself with even more respect for Ororo and her abilities than he had ever thought possible.

"Precisely. Once in New Orleans, she met Remy Lebeau and his family. They practically adopted the girl and Remy has taken great pride in telling me how much they helped her to hone her craft. If you ever wish to challenge Ororo, give her a lock to pick; she has no greater joy, save her plants, than lock picking. It is a hard won skill and one she does not get a great chance to practice."

Logan smiled at that thought, putting it away for future use.

"From there, she somehow made her way northward until one day, soon after I had founded my school and gathered a small handful of mutants, Scott, Jean and Hank among them, she knocked on my door. I of course greeted her warmly, welcoming her here. And the rest is history, as they say. Does any of this help you?"

"Yeah, actually. I just need some time ta sort it all out in my head. But I think that I understand why she sticks ta herself; for a very long time, it was all she ever had."

Xavier smiled at him, pleased that he had understood so quickly. "Yes, and we have all spent the last several years trying to convince her that was no longer true. We've had some success as you've seen but well, she cannot help being who she is. And we will not love her any less for it. Have a good evening Logan. And if you have anymore questions, please come back and see me."

Logan quietly shut the door, leaving the professor to his tea and his book.

* * *

A short time later, Logan sat on the shoreline of a nearby lake, pondering what the professor had told him. In many ways, certain aspects of Ororo's personality now made perfect sense. She had always seemed to be such a serious person. In fact, the first time he had ever seen a bit of levity from her had been the night when she had caved to the children's demands and showed a number of mindless, yet entertaining movies. 

Logan understood her powers on a basic level; she had complete control over a massively chaotic and enormous worldwide system. He couldn't begin to fathom the mental discipline needed to simply function through a normal day. And he had witnessed first hand the power at her disposal when she had been called on to use that control in defense of herself and others. The fact that she seemed so poised, controlled, even aloof and cold should come as no surprise to anyone that truly knew and understood her; she needed to maintain her emotions in order to maintain her control over the very climate around her.

Logan had been shown a very special side of her in the past couple of months; a side which he knew, without a doubt that very few others had seen. And he began to understand just why many people reacted to her the way that they did. Because of her very desire to remain somewhat apart from those around her, save her closest friends, she continued to feed the image of the "ice queen" to everyone.

Logan began to understand that this desire stemmed not from her desire to protect herself, but rather from the desperate desire to protect each and every person around her. If she was not close to them, they could not be hurt by her. In many ways, Logan wondered just how she had managed to stay mentally stable when she willingly stunted herself emotionally.

i Well, she ain't gonna shut me out. I won't let her do it. Even the strongest people need someone to love them and care about them. /i He knew that the only way she would let him in was if he bowled over all her attempts to raise her defenses against him. But he'd have to be subtle at first; he needed to be on the inside before she even knew that she'd opened the door.

I've got to make her see that keeping herself shut out ain't the way to protect those we love. Besides, I got an edge; there ain't nothing she can dish out that I can't handle. At least I don't think there is.


	6. New Beginnings

Summary: Logan has discovered just how he feels about Ro. But how to go about doing something about it?

* * *

Logan knew that he needed to be subtle; but there was a small problem; he wasn't often subtle. So it took a few days to figure out just what he thought he should do. When it finally hit him, he nearly burst out laughing. What better solution could there be for his dilemma than to change nothing about what he was doing with her at the moment?

They already spent a great deal of time together; with him teaching her self-defense and how to ride his bike and her numerous attempts to teach him how not to kill plants, nothing really needed to change between them; at least not yet. He would continue to spend time with her; working in her greenhouse, riding on his bike, hell maybe even teaching her how to work around a car if she had a mind to. Whatever it took to bring her closer to him, so that he could discover just where these feelings might lead them.

So with that thought in mind, Logan decided to start off with something simple; and something safe; something she already owed him because of his help with a certain Halloween party; movie night. There was only one problem. He knew that as soon as word spread that he and 'Ro were having another action flick marathon, the students would be banging on the door to get in.

And while Logan would normally have no problem with this, this time he wanted the two of them to have the house to themselves. He figured that if no one was around, she might relax a little more and not feel the need to put on her "ice queen" mask; at least for one night. And she might then associate him with those relaxed times and learn that around him, she could be herself without fear of hurting anyone or losing face with the students.

Keeping the children occupied outside of the mansion took a few more days thought. It also took a bit of divine intervention; in the form of Jean and Scott and Logan's credit card.

He came up with a plan in the beginning of the week; pit the students against each other in a mock contest. The winner got a ticket to the monster movie marathon in town paid for by Logan. Logan of course had no intention of sending just the winner; oh no, he wanted all of the teenage mutants out of the mansion for most of the night. So he decided that he needed to have a talk with Jean.

"Hey Jeannie."

She stopped walking when she heard Logan calling her and turning as he came up to her. "What is it Logan?"

He put his hands in his pockets, glancing around, unable to completely hide his nervousness. "I need a favor."

She did not bother hiding her impatience as her brows arched up at that statement. "Oh really? And just who were expecting to get this favor from?"

Logan started laughing as he realized that she had no intention of just granting him a favor. "Hey, ya just remember who helped Storm watch this merry group of teenage hellions and fixed Cyke's car just so the two of ya could go out on dates."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "Yes, and Scott really appreciated the skull shaped dent that ended up in his hood."

Logan sighed wondering why she was so snide this evening. "Yeah well take that up with 'Ro. She should know better than tao make surprise announcements when a guy's head is underneath the damn hood." He jabbed a finger in her direction, his own ire rising. "Besides yer lucky that I didn't take a sledgehammer ta the piece of shit."

"Logan, language, this is a school after all."

"Sorry. Listen I really do need a favor this weekend. And don't pull that 'Scooter and I have plans' line 'cause I know yau don't."

Jean sighed. "Fine Logan, what is it?"

"I promised the kids in class that I would pay for one of 'em to go to the movie marathon they're havin' on Saturday; but I didn't want ta just send one of 'em. I want to send all of 'em as a reward for all the effort they've put inta my class and all the work they've managed to do.

"Thing is, I got other obligations on Saturday so I was hopin' maybe you and Scott could take 'em instead."

Jean snorted in disbelief. "Other obligations? Do you have a date Logan?"

Logan stiffened slightly. "No, I don't and I'd appreciate it if ya kept yer thoughts ta yerself Jean." He glared at her.

She pressed her lips together tightly. He could almost see her biting her tongue to keep from laughing. She quickly changed the subject.

"Why can't you go?"

"Its personal."

Jean looked unconvinced.

"Dammit Jean, I watched the damn kids for you and Scott without even that much of an explanation. Ya owe me; I'm callin' in the favor."

She threw her hands in the air in surrender. "Fine, fine. Scott and I will take the children to the movies on Saturday."

Logan smiled, handing her the tickets he'd purchased the day before. "Thanks Jean. Oh and here's my credit card; refreshments are on me too." He walked away not seeing the confused and worried look Jean shot at him as he left.

_How the hell did he do that?_ She thought as she stared at the handful of tickets she held. _Scott is going to be pissed._

* * *

"How the hell did he manage to con you into this?"

Jean sighed as she watched Scott angrily pace in their room. She had thought that he'd be upset; she'd no idea that he'd be nearly as upset with her as he'd been with Logan for their suddenly full weekend. "Look Scott, we owed him. He watched the kids the night he got back; he even fixed your car so we could go out for dinner on our anniversary. Neither of which he had to do. The least we could do is return the favor."

"Yeah; lord knows I don't want him making me look like an ass. But I don't like it; I think he's up to something."

Jean sighed wondering just how long she was going to have to soothe his ego after this weekend was over. "Scott, just because he wants the weekend free doesn't mean that he's up to something."

Scott shrugged suddenly feeling that he had to justify why he didn't trust the guy. "I know but you've been real quiet about him lately; ever since you saw him and Ororo together at the Halloween party. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were suspicious of him. You were the one who thought that he and Ororo might be a couple."

She sighed as she rubbed her forehead. She was still embarrassed that she'd been less than articulate with Ororo when she'd discussed it with her; she had no desire for Scott to bring it up again. "I talked to her about it and she acted like nothing was going on. They've always been close; we've all seen it. But that doesn't mean anything; I could've been wrong." She felt Scott come up behind her, pushing her hands away to take over the task of rubbing her neck and shoulders. She nearly groaned in sheer relief as his hands expertly soothed the blossoming tension headache that the conversation had caused.

"But I don't think you are; especially after I saw the way they were with each other at the Halloween party. Who'd have figured that Logan could dance? Or even better, that he would let all of us see him do it just so he could ask Ororo to join him? I have to admit it was quite a sight seeing the scarecrow dancing with Glenda. I never thought he could be anything but a macho jerk."

Jean laughed. "He's only a macho jerk with you honey; you just seem to bring it out in him."

Scott ignored the statement. "I have to admit though, between you and me, it was nice to see her smile like that; and it's been a long time since I've heard her laugh so freely. This could be a good thing."

Jean moved his hands from her face and turned to look at him, the surprise evident on her face. "Why Scott, is that the romantic man I love coming out?" If she could have seen his eyes behind his ruby quartz glasses, she was sure that he was rolling them at her.

"Hardly; I care about her too you know. I can't say as I approve of her choice; but if he makes her feel this good, who am I to argue?"

There was silence for several moments while Jean used their link to carefully assess his feelings on the situation. She knew that Scott had a tendency to over react whenever Ororo was concerned; they all did.

She meant so much to them and after Forge had left her several years ago, they had all done their damnedest to be sure that she couldn't be hurt like that again. So she knew what it took for Scott to admit that maybe it would be nice to see her with someone again; even if that someone filled him with moments of intense fury and frustration; even if that someone was Logan.

"You know, you can be quite a nice guy when you want to be. Does this mean that you're not upset about this weekend?"

He kissed her lips softly as he smiled. She had always thought his smile was his most honest expression; it was rare but he never faked it.

"No, I guess not. I guess I just have a hair trigger temper where this guy's concerned."

Her eyebrows raised a bit at that admission but she didn't detect any malice in his words; just truth.

"Jealous?"

He laughed. "Given his past, not really. But then again he does have excellent taste in women."

She slugged him in the shoulder wondering how he could talk about Ororo that way when he was holding her. "Scott!" He smiled again and she realized that he had made the statement vague on purpose just to pull her chain.

"I meant you Jean; I can totally relate to his attraction to a certain redhead."

He leaned forward and she could imagine that his eyes were clouding with love and desire as she nudged the door shut with her mind.

"Devil." She whispered just before their lips met.

* * *

"So what will you be showing this evening Logan? You did promise me some classic action movies; minus Vin Diesel of course."

Logan chuckled despite himself as he handed her the stack of movies that he'd picked up that afternoon.

She read the titles. "_Rambo, Lethal Weapon, The Terminator _ and _The Usual Suspects_. I have not seen any of these movies Logan."

He reached out and took them from her turning around to set the TV up as she sat down. "Then yer just gonna have ta trust me darlin'." He handed her a bowl of popcorn as he sat down next to her. He handed her a cold soda, having set up a small cooler next to sofa for the occasion.

She stared at the soda for several seconds, as if unsure of what it was. He gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Chuck said no beer on school grounds."

Ororo arched a brow at him. "Since when do you follow the rules?"

Logan simply shrugged.

She opened her drink and took a sip from it before her face grew serious. "Logan, perhaps now is the wrong time to tell you that I abhor blood and gore."

He looked at her in surprise. He had chosen the movies with care, but now he wondered if he should have chosen even more carefully than he had. "Darlin', all action movies have a little blood in 'em. Just how squeamish are ya?"

"I am not really squeamish; it is just that I do not see the need to bloody up a decent movie just to make the audience gasp and scream."

Logan chuckled despite himself. "But a little blood is okay."

"As long as it is realistic and essential to the plot."

"Well considerin' that most of the people in these movies who are covered in blood are dyin', I'd say it was essential ta the plot."

"Logan, you know what I mean."

"Yeah I do. I promise, the movies I picked only have a little gore in them. Now the movies I picked out for next weekend, that's another story."

Ororo looked at him in surprise. "Next weekend? You wish to do this again?"

Logan shrugged, noting the tone of pleasure in her voice. "Why not? I'd forgotten how many good movies were out there until I started picking 'em out for this weekend. These ain't the only classic ones either. I thought ya might enjoy doin' this more than once."

She looked at him in silence for several seconds.

"Look at it this way, we'll both get ta watch some really great movies. I'll even let ya pick 'em out if ya want."

She turned her soda can in her hands, her face thoughtful. "Are you open to other types of movies besides action?"

"Sure. I got no problem with other types of movies; as long as it's anythin' but chick flicks darlin'. If I want ta cry that bad I'll go ta my room and punch myself in the ba…" She raised a single eyebrow at his as yet unspoken choice of words. At her look her trailed off and gave her a sly grin instead. "Sorry."

"Apology accepted. So what are we going to watch first?"

"How about _Rambo_, then you can pick."

"All right." Ororo looked around at the empty room, a puzzled expression on her face. "Logan, where are the children?"

Logan grabbed the remote, and his own can of soda, sitting back to enjoy the show. "Jean and Scott took 'em ta the movie marathon in town. Apparently stupid monster movies outrank classic action any day."

She was silent and sat back as he started the movie. "Logan, just what is this movie about?"

Logan shrugged as the opening credits began rolling. He didn't really want to tell her and risk spoiling the movie but he knew that she would pester him if he said nothing. "Darlin', if I told you what it was about, it might spoil the movie."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I did not ask for a full movie summary; just give me the basics. I do not even know who is in it."

"Fair enough. Look, at the box if ya want to know who's in it; can't quite remember all of their names anyway. Near as I remember, it's a story about revenge."

"Revenge?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you so much Mr. Hemingway."

Logan had been in the process of taking a drink when she made that statement. He stopped the motion with the can midway to his mouth to turn and look at her in surprise. "Is that sarcasm in yer voice darling?"

She shot him an innocent look. "Heaven forbid."

He smiled at her as she turned her attention back to the screen. "Keep it up darlin' and I might think ya were startin' ta enjoy my company."

"Now who is being sarcastic?"

He snorted and for the next couple of hours, there was silence between them. During the movie, Logan found himself paying less and less attention to the movie, and more attention to Ororo's reaction to the movie.

Despite her words of trepidation about a movie based upon revenge, and her somewhat disgusted reaction to over the top blood and gore, she seemed to enjoying herself immensely.

She was a great deal more relaxed than she had been at the previous marathon; her gasps of outrage and her openly honest expressions more than justified his decision to send the children out. He sincerely doubted that she would have been this relaxed or open if the room had been full of young mutants. He felt a fierce wave of joy fill him, something that surprised him with its intensity, as he realized that she didn't feel the need to block herself off when around him.

He found himself relaxing as well as the movie played out and he even put his arm around her on the back of the couch. She didn't seem to notice, too engrossed in the movie to pay him any attention. And they both settled back to watch the movies. They only had one interruption; when the children came home from their own marathon. Luckily they didn't seem interested in watching more movies and they quickly headed off to bed.

Several hours later, as the credits of the last movie rolled across the screen, Logan hit the stop button and turned to face Ororo.

She sat on the couch, a dumbfounded and completely thunderstruck look upon her beautiful face.

Logan felt suddenly pleased that he had left _The Usual Suspects _ for the final movie. "So what'd ya think 'Ro?"

She turned to him, her face thoughtful. "Unbelievable."

He smiled and waited for her to continue.

"I never expected it to end that way. I cannot get over Kevin Spacey's performance; he was amazing."

"I felt pretty much the same way when I first saw it; in fact, I've seen every movie he's ever done since this one."

"This sort of reminds me of another movie; I think I have a suggestion for next weekend if you have not picked out all of the movies?"

"No, I haven't. What were ya thinkin'?"

"Have you seen _The Sixth Sense_?"

Logan frowned. "Is that the one where the kid sees ghosts?"

"Yes. But it has an unbelievable ending."

He wasn't quite sure about her choice and it must have shown on his face because she reached out to grab his hand.

"I put my trust in you; now you must do the same."

He smiled realizing that he had asked her to do just that at the beginning of the evening. So, he took the plunge and did as she asked. "Alright. Sounds like a plan."

She smiled. "Wonderful. Now, it is late and I am off to bed. Thank you for a lovely evening Logan. I do not think that I would have ever chosen these movies on my own. Thank you for broadening my horizons."

Logan smiled at her as he gave into the impulse and kissed her cheek gently before she hurried off to bed. He watched her, out of the corner of his eye, as she reached up to touch her cheek gently where he had kissed it just seconds before. The gesture brought a gentle smile to his face. "Goodnight darlin'."

"Goodnight Logan." She walked upstairs quietly as he relaxed into the couch feeling quite satisfied with how the evening had turned out.

* * *

The next morning, Logan awoke bright and early. The mansion was still and quiet around him as he made his way to the kitchen for breakfast. He noticed as he descended the stairs, that there was frost on the lawn outside. He sighed knowing that winter was quickly approaching. Soon he would have to put the bike away; not that the winter weather ever affected him, but the roads quickly became dangerous. With the snow and ice, not to mention the insecurities of the other drivers, he had no wish to take a spill and be forced to wave off well intended witnesses who couldn't believe that he'd survived. Or worse, take a spill with 'Ro and risk causing her injury. 

Normally the seasonal change wouldn't bother him; in fact it often caught him unawares as neither heat nor cold seemed to really affect him. But putting the bike away would put an end to his rides with 'Ro. Despite her growing ease and skill with the machine, they still often rode together; sharing unique sites in the area. Although lately the frequency of their rides had fallen sharply as their time was eaten up by other matters. Still, the rides they did manage to take were something he looked forward to with a great deal of anticipation.

After all, it gave him an excuse to touch her without appearing that he was coming on to her. And it gave them a reason to spend even more time with each other; now he would have to find something else to fill the opportunities of those rides. He rounded a corner to see her quietly closing one of the student's door. He came up behind her quietly as she turned and squeaked in surprise.

"Logan, I did not see you."

He lowered his voice, not wanting to disturb the students as Ororo waited for her heart to settle back down into her chest. "Everythin' all right 'Ro?"

She nodded. "Yes, one of the children came back with a stomach ache and a mild fever. Jean and Scott were so worn out by the evening that I told her that I would check up on her this morning. She is resting now."

"Glad to hear it. I'm goin' down ta make some breakfast; how's about joinin' me? I'll cook my world famous omelets."

'Ro laughed but shook her head as they walked down the hall towards the back of the house. "Thank you, but no. I have some work in my classes that I have been putting off for far too long."

"Yer loss darlin'. Listen, I noticed that we got our first frost last night. I was thinkin' that it might be getting too cold for us ta keep ridin'. I'm thinkin' of packin' the bike away for the winter."

"Is the cold too much for you?" Her gentle jab at his male ego did not go unnoticed; though he largely ignored it.

"The cold don't bother me none."

"Me neither; part of my mutation. Besides, if it did, I am sure you would be more than willing to keep me warm."

Logan's heart nearly stopped beating in his chest at her flirtatious tone. He couldn't keep his jaw from dropping in surprise. "Are ya flirtin' with me 'Ro?"

She smiled at him, a gentle mischevious smile that had his mind leaping in all sorts of inappropriate directions. "And if I am?" Her voice was soft, teasing.

"Not sure; but ya do know how to keep a man on his toes. If this is how ya mess with the people ya care about, I'd hate to see what ya do ta yer enemies."

She laughed loudly, the sound rich and melodious as she headed towards her classroom to work for the day. "Enjoy your breakfast Logan."

Behind her, Logan watched her walk away appreciating the view and the banter between them. He felt an urge to blow off breakfast and follow her; he wanted to give her a taste of what flirting could bring out in him. But he reigned in the urge and went towards the kitchen.

* * *

Logan walked into the kitchen and found himself facing a strange sense of de ja vu as he once again came upon Jean sitting alone at the small table, her face marred by a serious expression. "Jean, is everythin' all right?" 

She looked up, smiling in greeting as he sat at the table in front of her. "Good morning Logan. And yes, everything is all right; I was just thinking."

"Pretty heavy thoughts ta weigh down yer face."

"It's nothing Logan, really. I do this often; come in here to think when no one else is around. Although lately, you seem to be interrupting my solitude."

Logan stood, going to the fridge. "How 'bout something ta eat; I'm cookin' my world famous omelets this morning. And don't think of turning me down; 'Ro already did that and I don't think I can handle anymore rejection today."

Jean chuckled as Logan stood at the island prepping ingredients. "Only if you promise not to cut yourself again; I'm not a vampire; I really don't need the extra protein."

Logan chuckled. "Promise. Now what do ya like in yer omelets?"

Several moments later, the omelet cooked, he slid a plate in front of her and sat down across from her to eat. "This looks delicious Logan, thank you."

"Don't mention it."

For several moments there was silence between them. Both of them seemed lost in their own thoughts and neither seemed willing to fill the void with idle conversation. Logan watched Jean as she ate. She was eating, but she still seemed distracted. A couple of times she even seemed on the verge of saying something. But she stopped herself each time. She seemed to be working up the courage talk to him about something.

"Logan?"

"Yeah."

"Rogue tells me that you sat her down for a serious talk."

He shrugged. "Yeah, something like that. I wanted ta make sure Remy was treatin' her okay."

She smiled fondly at his statement. "Which is why you also spoke with Remy."

He chuckled. "Damn can't anybody keep a secret round here? Yeah, I had a talk with him too."

"I wanted to thank you for doing that; I know that despite what Rogue might say, she really appreciated you looking out for her."

He looked at her wondering for a moment why she had brought up the subject. If she really wanted to know why he did it, all she had to do was scan his emotions. The truth behind his actions was something he had never tried to hide; he didn't see any reason "She's been through a lot, I just wanna be sure that she don't ever have ta go through anythin' like that again."

"I know; none of us do. But coming from you, it meant a lot. She's really very comfortable with you."

He grunted, turning back to his breakfast. "Yeah, well that happens when she's been inside yer head a couple of times."

"I'm sure there is more to it than that; maybe the fact that you saved her life, not once but twice, nearly at the expense of your own." She held up her hands, stopping him from interrupting her as she hurried on. "Logan, I must confess that I was hoping to have a talk with you myself."

He waited somewhat tense as he began to sense where the conversation was headed. He decided to play it cool. "Ain't that what we're doing now darlin'?"

"No Logan, not about Rogue and Remy, I wanted to talk to you about Ororo."

Logan went very still for a moment, unbelieving at what she had said and the scent that was wafting off of her. He would almost swear that he could smell jealousy on her. "What 'bout her Jean?" His voice was soft, but it was deceptive. Inside there were darker emotions coming alive.

"Logan, no matter what you might think, I just want to talk."

His voice was deadly soft and defensive. "So talk."

"Are you two seeing each other?"

Again, he went really still. "Not that it's any of yer business, but no Jean, we ain't seein' each other."

She reached out to touch his arm, forcing him to meet her concerned gaze as she continued. "I promised myself that I wouldn't pry. But I care about her and I don't want to see her get hurt again."

"And ya think I'd hurt her?"

She shook her head. "Not intentionally no, but Logan you're not exactly her type."

He could see her frustration; he could sense it in every line of her body and smell it coming it off of her. He knew that somehow, this conversation was not going exactly as she wanted it to. Normally she would never say something so callous and unfeeling to him; he knew this. But her words sparked a wave of anger inside him. His eyes narrowed, going as cold as steel as he took in what she said.

"And what exactly is her type?" His tone was deadly cold.

"Logan, I didn't mean…"

He pulled his arm from her angrily, as he pushed away from her. "Maybe not, but that didn't seem to stop ya from sayin' it." He felt her reach out to him, both physically and mentally as she tried to soothe his temper.

"Logan…"

He stood, shoving the chair into the table sharply. "No Jean, I'm gonna set ya straight right now. What 'Ro and I do together, whether it's datin' or simply spendin' time together, is our business. So keep yer damn nose and thoughts out of it." With those angered parting words, he stormed from the room.


	7. Taking a Leap

Summary: After his fight with Jean, Logan steps in it with Ororo as well. How will he get out of this one?

* * *

Logan spent the rest of the day in a very surly mood. He stomped around the mansion for awhile, trying to blunt the murderous edge of his temper. But when he noticed many of the students giving him strange looks, and a wide berth in the hallways, he decided that maybe he'd better work off his temper somewhere else. 

So he disappeared into the basement, spending the past two hours in the danger room venting his rage out on computer simulated enemies. For that amount of time, he lost himself in the carnage he created. He slashed, kicked and pummeled until he couldn't feel his hands, or see beyond the haze of red in front of him. All the while, in the back of his mind was the thought: _How dare her! _

He emerged sweaty, his clothing torn, minor wounds already healing and his temper silent for the most part. He made his way back up to his room to shower and change, and was surprised to see Ororo waiting for him outside his room. "Hey 'Ro. Thought you were busy with yer classes."

She stood as he opened his door and went inside. She stood outside. He noticed that she hadn't followed him into the room and turned to face her as she stood on his threshold. "Don't be shy; yer welcome in here anytime."

She came in slowly, her face thoughtful as she shut the door softly behind her. "I came to ask if you are all right."

He turned his back to her and peeled off his torn shirt; it didn't look as if he'd be able to salvage it so he simply tossed it into the trash. "I'm fine 'Ro. Just needed a workout is all." He heard her snort as he reached for a new shirt and he knew that she didn't believe him.

"I went looking for you when I finished my work, hoping that we might fit in a ride this evening when I came upon Jean sitting in the kitchen. She looked very upset and said that the two of you had a fight. Is that true?"

Logan shrugged his shirt on as he turned around, already steeling his expression to keep the anger and hurt inside. "Sortta. We had a conversation that sortta escalated inta a disagreement."

This time a frown appeared on Ororo's serious face. "What was this disagreement about?"

Logan shrugged not willing to tell her the real reason that he was mad at Jean; that they had been talking about her and the growing bond that Logan was seeking to build between them. He wasn't ready to tell her that he found her attractive; more than attractive, he found her mesmerizing.

In fact, if he was being completely honest with himself, in the few days since he had accepted his initial attraction, the feelings had intensified and grown to something so much more than a physical yearning; though that was there too. It was almost as if, by simply admitting his desires to himself, he had removed all inhibitions and set himself free to feel even more about her than he was currently prepared to do.

But he knew that if he told her that now, if he tried to tell her that now, she would push him away, shut herself off in an attempt to protect them both; at least in her mind. He knew that if she managed to do that, if she managed to shut him out now, she would never let him close again. And the friendship they had once shared would be strained to say the least. So he did the only thing that he could do; he lied to her.

"It was nothin' 'Ro, somethin' stupid; not even worth repeatin'."

For a moment she looked unsure, as if somehow she could sense his lie. But then she simply nodded and turned to leave. He thought he was in the clear until she stopped at the door and spoke quietly over her shoulder. "I had hoped you would know that just because she and Scott are my friends, I would not judge you or your feelings for her. She must come to her own decisions, free of guidance from anyone. I had only hoped you would feel that you could confide in me if need be. I am sorry that I was wrong."

She opened the door, shutting it quietly behind her.

Logan stood in the room, his frustration igniting all over again. He swore loudly wondering just how to repair his friendship with Jean and continue building his relationship with Ororo when both women were hurt for very different reasons. Somehow, his day had gone from bright and promising, to bleak and dismal in the span of a couple of hours.

_ It's a damned rollercoaster 'round here. How the hell do I get off? _He sighed loudly as he realized that he just might have to swallow his pride and beg forgiveness from both of them.

* * *

"Dammit Joe, get yer head outta yer ass; ya shoulda seen that blow comin' from a mile away." Logan's angered voice echoed loudly in the workout room as he strode toward the sparring pair. 

Around them, the other students were fighting in pairs as well. Hearing his angry shout, most of the students stopped fighting to watch the drama unfold before them.

He reached the two young mutants, anger and annoyance written clearly in every line of his body. He reached out, grabbing Joe's arm and showed him the block again.

"Like I showed aarlier; keep yer arm loose and watch his eyes. His eyes; they'll give ya the first clue as ta what his next move will be. Do it again." He stepped back as he watched the two go through the motions one more time.

This time he grunted and turned to see that the rest of the class had stopped fighting to watch them. He felt a wave of irritation wash over him; the first time he had ever felt that while teaching them and he snapped out at them. "What ya lookin' at? Get back to it, all of ya." He walked around the room, his temper hardly eased by snapping at the students. In fact, if anything, the outburst only increased his bad mood.

It had been four days since his argument with Jean in the kitchen; and it had been four days since he'd managed to spend any time alone with Ororo. She hadn't ignored him exactly; but she made it clear that he had hurt her feelings and worse, Jean's.

Whenever he'd tried to talk to her, she'd respond as simply and as shortly as she could without appearing rude. But Logan knew that she was still angry and he wasn't sure exactly how he was going to mend things with her.

He kept trying, asking her to watch a movie with him, ride on his bike, even asking her if she needed a hand in his greenhouse. But she turned him down; and each time she did, he could see a trace of emotion in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. It seemed almost like she was hiding a trace of sadness from him; but he had no idea why she would be sad about his desire not to open up to her. But if he was ever going to make her see and understand what he felt about her, then he'd better figure it out.

So he started the week in a terribly dark mood; this did not go unnoticed by those around him. Even his students, who were normally oblivious in their own immature, teenager way, noticed his edgy temper. He'd been riding them hard all week, demanding a level of skill and performance that he'd never asked for before. He'd even added another mile to their run despite the fact that they were already running ten miles a day.

He'd even yelled at Rogue, something that even Marie never thought would happen. After the class, he'd apologized saying he was a little out of line and that had been the end of it; at least in his mind. But it must have bothered her a great deal more than she let on because she cornered him after class on Friday.

"Logan, do ya have a minute?" She was waiting outside of the workout room for him.

He walked past her, not really wanting to talk to her either. He'd spent the last twenty minutes pummeling a workout bag hoping to relieve some of his frustration over the past several days. It hadn't really helped. "Sure Rogue, what is it?" He kept walking down the hall.

She fell into step next to him. "Ah wanted to talk to ya about the bad mood yer in."

He turned to look at her, his face smooth and unreadable. "What bad mood?"

She snorted loudly. "What bad mood? What do ya mean 'what bad mood'? Logan yer walkin' around this place like you have a stick shoved up yer…" He glared at her and she swallowed the last word. She ignored the glare and pressed on. "Yer walkin' around itchin' fer a fight and I wanna know why."

He rolled his eyes at her demand. "Look Rogue, there's nothin' wrong."

"Ya can't lie ta me Logan. Ah know something's bothering ya; ya damn near took off Joe's head because he didn't manage to learn the move ya taught him in ten minutes."

"That don't mean a thing."

"And ya yelled at me in front of everyone. Ya've never done that before."

Logan stopped walking, looking at her closely. He realized that his words hurt her ; not because he'd yelled at her but because he been so uncaring when he did it. He sighed as he realized that she did know him and she wasn't about to leave the subject alone until he told her.

"Come on. We'll go to my room. I'd rather not talk about this where anyone else can hear us. He walked off and she followed. Once in his room, he stalled for a moment wondering where to start.

"What's going on Logan?"

He ran his hands through his hair, almost as if he was nervous. "It's nothing really. Just a disagreement; had ta set someone straight who was butting in where they didn't belong."

Rogue looked puzzled. "A disagreement? Do ya mean an argument? 'Bout what exactly Logan? Did it have anything to do with Ms. Munroe?"

Logan glanced at her in surprise. Ororo had told him that rumors were beginning to fly around the school about the two of them. But he'd simply brushed them aside assuming that they would fall off as time passed. In fact, he'd had a good chuckle over the idea of those rumors when he'd first heard about them. Now, it seemed that they hadn't exactly died down.

"How would you know anything about that?"

This time Rogue rolled her eyes heavenward; as if to ask for divine patience from on high. "Come on Logan, we're mutants; we're not blind, deaf and dumb; well not most of us anyways. We can all see there're some sparks flying between the two of ya."

Logan was a bit annoyed by that statement. He'd only just realized that he was attracted to Ororo in the past couple of weeks; just how long had the students been noticing "sparks"?

"Just when did you see these sparks, and who's we?"

Rogue shrugged. "The whole school and we've all seen it; ya guys have been on the gossip mill for months. There's a pool going to see when ya'll finally get together."

Despite himself, Logan's eyes widened at that. "There's a pool on when 'Ro and I…"

Rogue shook her head nearly laughing at the shocked look on his face. "No, course not. The pool's for when ya'll actually start dating."

Logan held his hands up wanting desperately for the conversation to change its current course. "Look lets start this conversation over again and I'll pretend that I didn't hear anythin' bout students placin' bets on the faculty's love life."

She nodded. "Fine with me. Answer the question; what's going on?"

He shrugged. "I sorta had a fight with Jean and Ororo."

She waited for him to elaborate but he was silent. "With both of them? 'Bout what?"

Logan sighed, sitting down as he held his head in his hands. "Jean was askin' 'bout me and 'Ro and I flipped out tellin' her ta mind her own business."

Rogue's eyes widened at that statement. "So what did she ask about?"

He shrugged. "We never got around ta what she really wanted ta say; as soon as she mentioned 'Ro, I shut her down. My guess is she wanted ta warn me off datin' her; like I woulda taken the hint anyway."

Rogue stepped closer, letting her voice drop as she became even more serious. "Logan, are ya and Ms. Munroe dating?"

He looked up at her for several moments wondering just how much he should tell her. She was a kid, at least physically. But he also knew that she had several other people's memories floating around in her young mind, his included, giving her uniquely informed insight. "No, we ain't. But I was hopin' ta change that very soon. Now I don't know if I'll be able ta; she won't talk ta me."

"Why?"

"Because of my fight with Jean."

"So she was mad at ya for fighting with Jean."

"Not exactly."

Rogue clenched her hands, touched her forehead and took a deep breath. "Logan, Ah consider myself very patient, but would ya please get to the point already; these simple answers aren't telling me a thing."

"'Ro found out about the fight. She came ta see if I needed an ear. I turned her down and she got rather upset."

"How upset?"

Logan shrugged. "She wasn't cryin' or nothin' like that, but she got real quiet." He sighed. "I haven't managed to spend any time with her outside of class since."

Rogue nodded. "That explains the bad mood. Ya know Logan, when you dig a hole, ya go all out. Ah don't know how you're gonna dig yourself outta this one."

For the first time since she had followed him into his room, he let a flash of irritation show at the entire situation. "Look, I don't need ya ta state the obvious."

"Ah know. And Ah think Ah understand. Yer mad at yerself for saying what ya did to Jean and yer mad at her for butting her nose in where it don't belong."

Logan thought for a moment. He was mad at himself for what had happened between him and Jean; there was no reason for him to have reacted the way he had. But he realized that he wasn't really mad at Jean; after all she was only acting on her concern for a close friend.

She needed Logan to be honest with her and tell her that yes, he was pursuing Ororo. But he had no intention of treating the budding relationship as anything but serious and he would do everything in his power to keep from hurting her. She'd needed to hear that from him; and he hadn't even attempted to tell her that.

Instead he'd over reacted simply because he wasn't ready to admit that he was over Jean and feeling something for someone else. Because he was afraid that if he admitted it out loud to anyone, they might think what he felt for Ororo was just as fleeting. And in a few months, his interest would turn elsewhere.

Even though he was beginning to realize that just wasn't true. His need to be with her was growing every day; the yearning to take the next step and ask her out pressed upon him with growing urgency. It wouldn't be long before he would be unable to ignore it.

"I ain't mad at Jean; I'm mad at myself though. I handled it badly and I shoulda been more honest with both her and myself."

"So now what are ya gonna do? Ya can't keep walkin' around in a bad mood, takin' yer frustration out on whoever's around. We'll have found a way to kill ya before another week is out."

Logan chuckled. "I've been that bad, huh?"

"Worse. But Ah don't think they'll hold it against ya if ya can fix this and fast."

Logan sighed. "I guess I have ta go apologize ta Jean then."

"Yeah, and maybe even go and be honest with Ms. Munroe. She deserves to know what's been going on. Or at least why ya don't want to talk about it with her."

Logan nodded and nearly pushed her out the door as he shut it behind him. "Thanks kid."

"It was 'bout time someone put a foot up yer ass."

He chuckled despite himself and watched her walk to her next class. He sighed, deciding to wait a bit longer to find Jean; he wasn't quite ready to apologize to her just yet. First, to set himself straight, he needed to speak with Ororo; and he knew just where to find her.

* * *

"Dammit Jean this is crazy. You're reading way too much into this conversation. After all, when doesn't he over react to someone telling him what he can and can't do?" 

After their altercation in the kitchen, Logan wasn't the only one who had remained quiet and thoughtful while battling their temper. Jean herself had been quiet and withdrawn, even with Scott. They were in the room they shared discussing what had happened nearly a week ago; Scott had finally dragged the truth out of her a day or so ago.

"It's not that Scott; I wasn't trying to protect 'Ro. At least not protect her the way he thought I was. I just wanted to gauge his feelings for her; see if they were as deep as I was beginning to suspect they were."

"And?"

"He's hard to read even under the best of circumstances; like when he's calm and rational and willing."

"All of which he wasn't once you mentioned Ororo."

"Yeah, but I still managed to catch something. I never thought I'd see the day, but I truly believe he's over me. In fact, I would go so far as to say that he thinks of me as close friend, nothing more."

"Well that's a relief."

"Scott!"

"What do you expect me to say? So sad, sorry he's not still trying to steal the love of my life?"

"Point taken. But I may have messed things up between them; they haven't been seen together all week and Rogue let it slip that he's been in a horrible mood all week. Somehow, our argument sparked a fight between the two of them."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"Find a way to fix it."

"You realize that you could make things worse; or make them angry at you."

"I know, but I'd rather they were angry at me then at each other for something so ridiculous."

* * *

Logan walked into Ororo's empty classroom as she sat at her desk quietly going over notes for the next day's class. He stood in the doorway watching her silently as she worked. He couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was about her that held him so mesmerized. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. With her white hair, ice blue eyes, caramel colored skin and slender form she was definitely a ten in his book. 

But he knew that there was more to it than her beauty; she was also graceful and elegant in her movements. She was kind and generous with every living thing that came across her path; she was as kind and gentle to those around her as she was to her plants. He marveled at that; that she wouldn't feel the need to draw the distinction between those she loved and other living things. It was just another thing about her that surprised him.

Suddenly, she sensed his intense gaze upon her and looked up.

"Good morning Logan."

He stepped into the room, making his way to her desk half expecting her to bolt from the room. "Hey 'Ro. Ya got a minute?"

She looked around her empty classroom and shrugged. "I suspect that you are merely being polite as it would seem that I do have a moment."

Logan reached the desk and leaned forward slightly as she leaned back. He could see her pulling away from him; he knew that somehow he had to stop her from doing that. "Good. We need to talk about the other day; meet me down in the work out room in an hour." He straightened as a puzzled look came over her face.

"Why do you wish to meet in the workout room?"

"The last time ya needed ta talk to me 'bout somethin', we met in the greenhouse; ya told me it soothed ya to be in there when ya were troubled 'bout somethin'. Well, I'm troubled 'bout somethin' and I want ta meet in a place that soothes me, so ta speak."

She nodded, resuming her reading. "Very well Logan, I shall be there."

He walked out, going back to his room to grab a quick change of clothes before heading back to the gym. He needed to work out a few more kinks with the bag before he faced Ororo and the harsh words that lay between them.

* * *

True to her word, Ororo walked into the work out room an hour later; she had even changed her clothes. "Exactly what is it that we need to talk about Logan?" 

Logan stopped punching the bag and turned to face Ororo as he grabbed a nearby towel to wipe off the sweat from his work out. "Spar with me first; I need a minute ta gather my thoughts." The truth was, he had spent the better part of the last hour gathering his thoughts. But he found that he was having a difficult time finding the words he wanted to apologize to her.

Whether she sensed his difficulties, or whether she was simply polite, Ororo was silent as she stretched and then took her stance in front of him.

It was almost a dance between them; she would attack and he would defend or evade; back and forth between them with blinding speed and precision. They moved gracefully around the room, punching, kicking, blocking as they sparred.

Logan watched her with a mixture of pride and desire. His pride recognized that he had taught her the skills that she was displaying so well against him. And he felt a twinge of desire that only continued to grow stronger as they fought; her shapely body and graceful movements awakening the hunger inside of him.

At that moment, he caught a strong whiff of her unique scent and he felt a surge inside himself as his animal abruptly awoke. He felt his lips pull up to bare his fangs as he growled softly. Realizing that he was perilously close to loosing control, Logan clamped his mental defenses down, keeping his more feral self from surging forward and taking over. All the while, he pushed up the fight with Ororo, seeking to end the close contact with her before the baser part of himself managed to break free.

Finally in a series of moves executed with blinding speed, he pinned Ororo to the mat. She looked at him in surprise as they allowed their breathing to slow. Neither of them moved, afraid to break the spell that was building between them. Finally, Logan found his voice.

"I wanted ta apologize 'Ro. I shouldn't have snapped at ya after my argument with Jean. I shoulda been more honest with ya about the fight Jean and I had. Truth is, I really didn't want ta talk about it."

Ororo smiled at his soft spoken words as she reached up, touching his cheek gently. He recognized that this was a sign of affection from her; it was something she rarely did and he found himself touched by it.

"Why did you not say so? I would have honored that. I had thought you worried that I would judge you."

Still he made no move to get off her or let her up. He could feel desire building up in him again, pushing him to taste her lips and more. "No, I wasn't worried bout that. I just thought ya might not understand."

She looked genuinely confused at the thought that she might be anything but understanding with him. "Not understand what Logan?"

"This." Logan tried, he truly did but she was far too tempting and he had been fighting for far too long. Logan stopped resisting the temptation her lips had become to him and leaned in.

His first touch was soft, fleeting as if he were testing her reaction. But when she didn't pull away, or stop him, he touched his lips to hers again. After a few moments, he pulled back to look at her startled face. She surprised him by reaching up, wrapping her hands in the front of his shirt and pulling him down for another kiss.

The kiss before had been somewhat chaste; she had seemed unsure of how to respond to the sudden and unexpected gesture. This time when their lips met, it was molten hot and wild. Logan felt sparks jumping between them as she somehow unwound her hands from his shirt and buried them deep in his thick hair. He found himself doing the same thing, marveling at its soft, silky feel as they both fell deeper under the passionate spell being woven between them. They broke apart, each fighting for air as if they had just finished a ten mile run together.

"I cannot do this; though Goddess knows I want to."

He leaned his forehead against hers, suddenly desperate to maintain his close contact with her. Fighting the urge to simply carry her upstairs, fling her down onto the nearest bed and spend the rest of the night ravishing her with delight. "'Ro, I…" He felt her pull away from him; he could feel her drawing up her defenses even as he tried to keep her from doing it. "Don't pull away from me darlin'. Not after that."

Ororo struggled to get out from underneath him but he wouldn't budge. She even turned her face away when he would have kissed her again. "I will not be a substitute for Jean, Logan."

He went still above her, his desire suddenly gone, replaced quickly with anger. "Why would ya say somethin' like that?" This time, when she struggled to get up, he let her. They stood there, facing each other both hurt and angry at the other.

"I am not blind, and I am not a fool. Everyone here knows how you feel about her. But she chose Scott and now you come to me like this. What am I supposed to think? That you have just forgotten about her?"

"Dammit 'Ro, this is got nothin' ta do with Jean or One Eye, this is between us."

"No Logan, she is still there."

Logan's eyes narrowed in anger as he grasped her shoulders tightly. "Ya think so little of me that I would do something like that to you? Or do ya think so little of yerself that ya think that no one might want ya for you?" She remained silent. "Do ya want the truth?"

"What truth?"

"That I want ya; not Storm the Weather Witch or the X-men leader, not even Ororo Munroe the goddess. But 'Ro the woman; the hot blooded, passionate woman that I know is under all of those things; the woman who distracts me whenever she walks into the room; the woman who dazzles me everyday with a new side of herself that I would never expect to see." He reached up to touch her face gently, letting his own passion and need rise to the surface. He let his desire for her show in his face, eyes and touch and watched as she yielded, just a bit.

"Ya think I'm usin' ya, ta forget about Jean; when ya don't realize that I've already forgotten bout her; haven't thought bout her for months now. Do ya know why?" Ororo shook her head. "Because I'm so busy bein' dazzled by ya and tryin' ta figure out how I feel bout ya, that I don't have room in my head ta even think bout Jean.

"Yeah I notice when Jean walks into the room; who wouldn't, she's an attractive woman. But when ya walk into the room, I don't see nothin' else; it comes alive around ya. Yer so damned beautiful that sometimes it hurts me to look at ya, wantin' ya the way I do; ya deserving so much more than I have ta give. I fall apart inside when yer sad and I want ta howl whenever I see ya happy. Yer smile lights up my whole day; even the kids have noticed my good moods after I've been around ya. Hell I've been in such a bad mood this whole week, they threatened ta find a way to kill me if I didn't set things right with ya." She chuckled and he knew that she was imaging a roomful of teenagers going over battle strategies when they thought no one was looking. He used the distraction to draw her closer until she was once again embraced in his strong arms.

"So where do we go from here?"

He kissed her gently, touching her face with his large rough hand, causing her to shiver. "Let's take it slow and see where it leads. I don't wanna mess up the first good thing that's happened ta me in a long time."

She nodded. "I think that would be good.'

"I've gotta be honest with ya, I thought ya wouldn't want me."

She reached up to touch his face, her slender hand stroking his grizzled cheek gently. "Foolish man, what ever would give you that idea? Do you not realize how open and free I have been with you these past months?" He nodded. "I hope you realize what a rare thing that is; there is no one in this house that knows that side of me."

"No one?"

"Perhaps Remy, but he is like family to me. Beyond him, there was no one I felt worthy of sharing it with; until you came home to stay."

He leaned closer to her, touching his forehead to hers as he pondered what a rare gift he'd suddenly been given. "Then I have just one question for ya 'Ro." His voice was husky and she shivered slightly.

"What would that be?"

"How's 'bout another kiss?"

Her laughter was cut short as he didn't wait for the answer and kissed her again. Neither of them noticed Jubilee quietly closing the door to the workout room; too engrossed in each other to notice that they had been spotted.


	8. Clearing the Air

Summary: Logan and Ororo have made up, and then some. Now it's time to apologize to Jean and find out just why she's upset over Logan dating her best friend.

* * *

"I'm telling you; I saw them." Jubilee's voice was steadily rising in volume and octave as she tried to convince those around her what she had just witnessed in the workout room between two of their teachers. 

"Yeah right, Jubes. This is just like the time you swore you saw Bigfoot in the back yard; only it turned out to be Mr. McCoy arriving."

The students started laughing. "Yeah, or the time that you swore you saw Logan gardening. Next you'll be telling us he's taken up basket weaving or knitting."

The others laughed harder as she became even more irritated. "Hey, I did see that."

"Or what about the time…"

Jubilee threw up her hands in disgust even as she persisted in trying to tell her story. "Look, a person is entitled to be wrong occasionally."

One of the other students around her snorted loudly. "Occasionally? You've been wrong more times than the National Enquirer."

Jubilee ignored the outburst and kept on. "But I'm telling you, when I went down to the workout room this morning to see if I left my CD player down there, I saw Ms. Munroe and Logan kissing. And it wasn't just a simple peck on the cheek either. This was a full fledged, all out lip lock."

Just as she spoke, Rogue wandered by, stopping in her tracks. She turned to Jubilee, her mouth agape and her eyes wide with shock. "What did ya say about Logan and 'Ro?"

Jubilee seemed thunderstruck by Rogue's outburst and was struck into silence; something nobody around them had ever expected to see.

Rogue grew impatient and grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, repeating the question. "Spit it out girl, what did ya say?"

"Kissing…I…I saw them kissing."

Rogue smiled broadly laughing loudly. "Ya saw them kissing?" Jubilee nodded dumbly and Rogue impulsively hugged her, mindful still of not touching her bare skin. She whirled away from the group of stunned students laughing out loud.

As she walked out of sight of the group, the others turned back to Jubilee. "So you saw them kissing huh?" One of the students asked.

Jubilee smirked as she settled in to tell the story once again. But a sudden thought occurred to her just then. "So who won the pot?"

* * *

Logan in the meantime was wandering around the mansion looking for Jean; unaware that what had happened between him and Ororo had not only been witnessed, but now was fresh fodder for the student gossip mill. After the sparring session and the passionate kiss they had shared, the rest of their time together had passed all too quickly.

Despite what had happened between them, they still managed to find the will power to go for their daily run. But even that had taken them far longer than normal; especially when they kept stopping to repeat the passionate kiss they had just shared.

Ororo had been just as guilty of it as he was; more often then not, she'd been the one doing the grabbing. He'd gone along with it until he realized that 'Ro's next class was starting in less than an hour. He had quietly walked her to the classroom door, leaving her there with just a simple peck on the cheek, promising to see her later that evening. He had left quickly, before he lost the will to walk away from her altogether.

So now, he was wandering around the mansion, wrapped up in thoughts of what had happened between them a few hours before. Not noticing the strange looks that most of the students were giving him as they passed by on their way to their classes. His mind kept wandering back to the feel of her in his arms, hot and willing, and the feel of her silken lips on his as her fingers tugged on his hair.

He could feel himself getting aroused all over again just from the memory of her touch and wondered if he was going to end up walking around that way all day. He caught a faint scent, his nostrils flaring as he recognized it as Jean's and began following it as he pushed his memories aside. With effort, he turned his mind to the task of apologizing to Jean for his outburst earlier that week and setting things right between them.

He found her sitting in the library reading quietly and taking notes for a class. He stood in the doorway for a moment working up the nerve to approach her and wondering just what to say.

She looked up suddenly and regarded him warily as he stepped further into the room. "Good morning Logan." She set her books aside and prepared to stand up and walk out before he could rip into her again.

"Don't leave Jean; I need ta talk with ya." He held up his hands, stopping her. He intended to have his say; even if it meant he had to force her to stay.

She seemed unconvinced. "The last time we spoke, you were less than kind." Her tone was abrupt and cutting.

He sighed seeing that he hadn't been the only one in a bad mood since their argument. He felt even guiltier about what had happened between them and his over reaction than he had before. "Look, I may have said some things that I shouldn't have, but ya did too. So as far as that goes, I'd say we're even."

Her eyes narrowed, despite the grain of truth in what he said. "Did you come here to start another argument?"

He shook his head. "No, I didn't. I actually came to apologize."

The look of shock on her face was priceless. He never expected to see her totally taken aback by what he'd said. He found himself enjoying the expression; sort of. "Apologize?"

Logan sat down in a chair across from her, his face serious. "Yeah. Look I may not agree with ya needin' ta protect Ororo, but I understand why feel ya have ta. She's yer friend and ya care for her. I'd like ta think that I'd do the same if I were in yer shoes."

She was silent for many moments, seeming to be mulling over his words. Jean leaned forward, her voice sincere. "That's just it Logan. I promised myself that I wouldn't do what I did. I even told Ororo that I wouldn't butt in like Scott and Remy might. I'm sorry too, if you feel that's what I was doing. The only reason I started asking you about her was because I thought that you might not feel the same way towards me like you once did."

This time Logan was silent for several seconds wondering when she had discovered the truth. He had tried to keep it from everyone; he'd even managed to keep it from himself until he'd been hit over the head with the truth, so to speak. Somehow, she had managed to discover something he'd thought he'd kept to himself rather well.

He decided that the time had come to be honest; with both himself and her. "I have ta be honest, I don't. There's still something there Jean; I'd still do anything ta help ya if ya needed my help. I still care for ya; I want ta see ya happy but it's not like before."

Jean smiled slightly. "I thought so; I've been feeling something shift inside of you since you came back. That morning in the kitchen, when you cut yourself, I caught some of what you were thinking. It was faint, but it was there. I'd suspected that you might interested in Ororo for some time; you've always been close with her, but this time when you came back it was different. There was something there that I could sense, but couldn't put my finger on. That morning in the kitchen when we fought, you were mentally projecting right before you shut down; that's when I knew for sure that you felt something for her. I just want to make sure that you understand why I did what I did."

Logan nodded things beginning to make sense about the argument and the course it had taken. "Ya wanted to make sure what I felt was sincere. That I wasn't lookin' for a fling, or a one night stand."

Jean nodded. "'Ro deserves so much more than that; I'm not saying you would have done any of those things, but I needed to be sure."

"Ya thought I'd hurt her."

"Unintentionally, yes."

His voice was quiet, his eyes full of an emotion that she had a difficult time placing. "She's been hurt before hasn't she?"

"Many times."

"I'm not like the others Jean. I got no intention of hurtin' her, ever."

Jean leaned back from him, crossing her arms over her chest; shutting him off. "I've heard that before Logan. I believe it less now than I did then."

"Look, just because you…"

She cut him off with a quick wave of her hand, her tone irritated. "No, you look. I wasn't just worried about you looking to have a fling with her Logan. Ororo's a grown woman and is more than capable of deciding if all she wanted was sex. What I was worried about was if it got serious between you two; if she developed feelings for you, even fell in love with you." Jean took a deep breath gathering her thoughts and reigning in her emotions. "When I said you weren't her type, I didn't mean what you thought I did. I didn't mean that she wouldn't find you attractive because I'm very sure that she does. What I did mean was that you aren't the type to stay around; you leave whenever the urge hits you and you stay away for long periods of time. What do you think that will do to her?"

At last, he understood her concerns. But the understanding was lost under a building wave of irritation. She was berating him for something that he might or might not do. "Jean, we just started this relationship. I don't plan on leaving her, for any reason."

"Can you honestly sit there and tell me that it will stay that way? That you'll never feel the urge to run off and chase down some ghost of the past? Simply drop everything and leave? Can you tell me that you'll be there for her even when you're clear across the country?"

He was getting angry. Somehow he'd been drawn into another argument; something he'd been determined to keep from happening again. He wondered for a moment whether or not Jean's anger was really directed at him, or if something that happened before had brought this to fester beneath the surface.

"Dammit Jean, that's not fair. 'Ro knows how important finding about my past is to me. We understand each other; she would never make me choose. Would you stand in Scott's way if he found out that there was even the slightest chance that his parents were alive?"

"We're not talking about Scott and I, Logan. We're talking about you and Ororo."

Logan stood, feeling the urge to move, to fidget, anything to keep his anger from controlling him or erupting violently. He paced in front of the fireplace; part of his mind wondering why nearly every room had a working fireplace in it. "Yeah, we are; so let's be honest shall we. I don't know where my relationship with 'Ro will end up; I'm still tryin' ta sort out my feelings for her. But I do know that if the relationship gets serious, I won't leave her; at least not willingly and not for long."

Jean stood, facing him watching him as he paced. "Forge said something like that to me too, right before he left her; right after he proposed."

Logan was silent and still, his thoughts racing. Of all the things that he and Ororo had discussed when they talked, Logan realized that the one thing they had never talked about was the previous men in her life. He had talked plenty about the women he had truly loved; largely because both of the relationships had ended tragically and Logan still felt a sense of guilt over that. But whenever he had tried to discover more about the men she might have loved, she directed the conversation elsewhere.

He knew that she was a private person; but he had assumed that there hadn't been anyone that she ever felt that deeply for. Given her mutant abilities, the power at her command, not to mention her chosen lifestyle there were very few men who would not feel threatened by her. Somehow, it never occurred to him that one of them might have hurt her deeply.

"Who was he? What happened?" His voice was deadly soft; there was a knife edge to it as he looked at Jean. His body was tense, the unspoken violence radiating from him in waves.

"It's not my story to tell."

Logan's clenched fist slammed down onto the fireplace mantle. The wood cracked audibly, the sound echoing sharply in the large room; Jean jumped. Logan found that he didn't care; all he wanted was answers and she was trying to keep them from him. "Dammit Jeannie, ya started this, finish it. What the hell happened?"

Jean stood up, looking out the window. Her voice was soft and quiet as she related the story to Logan. "'Ro was 20 and she'd only been here for two years when Forge showed up. The professor had contacted him to join the team; he was a gifted engineer and had made quite a name for himself in both the government and private sectors. Scott and the professor thought he would be an asset to the team."

Logan sensed her hesitation and noticed how she didn't include herself in that statement. "But ya didn't."

She nodded absently, her mind far away. "There was something about him that I couldn't put my finger on but his mind, it felt slippery; I can't explain it any better than that." She turned back to Logan as she continued her story.

"He was older than her, about ten years I think. But he was very handsome, tall and well spoken. He was also very cultured and had a great deal of mental discipline. I thought he was distant, even cold with everyone around him. I don't know if he was a great deal different in private because Ororo rarely spoke of their time together; he didn't look kindly on that kind of 'girl talk'. He was also full blooded Native America; I forget which nation. But she was drawn to that side of him; his close tie with nature, it appealed to her.

"She was taken with him because she never thought someone like him would ever give her a second glance. You have to understand that she has not always had the self confidence she has now. She was once a very self conscious person; largely because there were so few people willing to get close to her for fear of getting hurt. And she was afraid of letting them get close for the exact same reason.

"Forge was taken with her for obvious reasons; she was, and is a very beautiful woman; but he didn't see her as a mere woman; he saw her as a trophy, something to be placed on a pedestal and admired. He said everything she ever wanted or needed to hear; he swept her off her feet. At the time we both thought it was very romantic; but now I know the truth. He never really loved her; not like she needed him to. He looked at her as if she were a goddess reborn; he never once thought of her as a flesh and blood woman with normal wants and needs. But it didn't really matter; she loved him, desperately.

"For the first time since I'd known her, someone was willing to approach her on an intimate level, beyond the ties of friendship and family. She couldn't see that all he cared about was the prestige and jealous looks having her for a wife would bring him. The others thought he was a good man; and in many ways they were right. He did treat her good and she was happy while they were together. But we both know that they way he felt about her wouldn't have been enough for her; after awhile she would have seen that he didn't love her as much as she loved him and it would have ended between them.

"Still, it was quite a shock when he suddenly left one night just as a terrible storm broke over the mansion. I went immediately to her room and found her in tears. After an hour, I was able to get the story out of her. A few days before, Forge had proposed telling her that he was leaving for Texas. The government had offered him a job and he couldn't bear the thought of being without her. He wanted her to come with him and they'd build a life together, away from the X-men."

Logan whistled softly; surprised that someone who claimed to love her would fail to see something vitally important about her character. "But he had ta've known she'd never willin'ly leave the team, or Charles."

Jean turned to look at him, her face grim and sad as she continued. "You and I both know that about her, but apparently Forge failed to see just how much being an X-man meant to Ororo. When she didn't say yes right away, he took it as a no and took back his proposal. She was devastated; she didn't leave her room for two days. And when she did, all she did was float in the sky for hours, staring off into the distance. It rained solid for a week before the professor managed to break through to her and show her the harm she was causing to others.

"After that, she shut it all away. She wouldn't talk about any of it; not him or the pain she was feeling not to me, not to Remy, or the professor or even Hank. She tried to pretend that it had never happened. She's always been a very solitary person; but after he left, she started pushing people away a great deal more until the only ones that could still get through were Scott, Remy, Hank and I and more recently, you."

Logan nodded absently. He had known that she had included him on the elite list of people; she had admitted as much to him earlier that day. And he also knew that she had a tendency to push people away; but until that moment, he hadn't known just how small her list of confidantes was.

"And ya think that somehow, I might end up doin' the same thing ta 'Ro that Forge did."

Jean nodded. "If ya think that, Jean yer insane. There's one big difference between Forge and me that ya just don't get. I'd never give her an ultimatum like that. I know her and I know what's important ta her. This school, the students, you, Scott, Remy, Hank, and the professor, being a part of the team, fightin' for something greater than herself; all those things are important ta her. I'd be a fool if I didn't see that; and I'd be an even bigger fool if I expected her ta walk away from all of that just ta be with me."

Jean is flabbergasted. "Logan, I think you really mean that."

"Yer damn right I do." She flinched at his harsh tone and he took a breath to calm himself down. "Jeannie, I don't know where these feelin's are gonna lead; hell I'm not even for sure just what I feel yet. But I want the chance ta find out. I'm not gonna promise ta stay away from her if that's what yer lookin' for. But I'm gonna ya my word that I'll do everythin' in my power to keep from hurtin' her. I can't promise ya anymore than that."

"I fear, Logan that such a promise might one day prove beyond even you."

He shrugged. "We'll just have ta wait and see won't we."

"Yes, I guess we will."

He stood to leave but her soft voice stopped him. "Logan, I am glad that you make her happy; and thanks for being honest with me about how you felt."

"No problem Jeannie. I'll get out of yer way; I'm sure you can't wait ta tell Scott about me getting' over ya."

Jean laughed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a telepath."

"Nope, I just know how to read people." He pointed to the damaged fireplace mantle that he had punched in anger. "I'll get that fixed up this afternoon. Thanks for lookin' out for her Jeannie."

She smiled. "Make sure you do the same or you'll have more than Scott or Remy to worry about; you'll have one pissed off telekinetic red-head on your case; not to mention a blue furred mad scientist looking to experiment on you."

Logan chuckled as he walked out of the library, leaving her to her reading.


	9. So Now What?

Summary: Everyone wants to help ensure that Logan and Ororo have a wonderful time on their date. And some just aren't sure they want it to happen at all.

* * *

"Hey Logan, wait up."

He turned to see Marie hurrying towards him, her face covered by a wide stupid grin. He stopped walking, even though he'd been headed outside to smoke a cigar before his meeting with the Professor.

It had been several hours since he and Jean talked in the library and he was still trying to sort it all out in his mind. He wasn't exactly sure why the news that 'Ro had nearly married someone else, long before she met him should bother him so much, but it did.

Or maybe it was the fact that she had loved someone so deeply; had been prepared to live the rest of her life with him and had nearly made the biggest mistake of her life by settling for a love that had been less than she deserved. Whatever was bothering him wouldn't go away no matter how he tried to rationalize it so he had decided that maybe he needed a smoke to relax himself.

But as soon as he saw Marie he knew that somehow his attempts to relax would be useless once she spoke with him. He could see the repressed happiness and glee in every line in her body. Not to mention her smile; she was flashing so many of her teeth, he was surprised she didn't break her jaw contorting her face that much. Somehow, he had the sinking feeling that her happiness had something to do with him; more importantly, it had something to do with the rumors that were flying around the school.

Logan was a suspicious man by nature; in his lifetime, what little he remembered of it, he'd been taught well not to trust people. In fact, he'd always assumed that he'd been taught that in the life previous to the experiment that wiped out his memory. And now, as Marie walked up to him, with the stupidest of grins on her face, his suspicious nature was screaming at him; that somehow she knew about what had happened between him and Ororo.

"Hey kid, how's it goin' today?" He fell in step beside her as they exited the mansion. As soon as Logan cleared the door, he lit up enjoying the smoke that rolled into his lungs; even as his healing factor kicked in and repaired the damage.

"Good Ah guess. Hey Ah meant to tell ya that Ah got a B+ on that shop project ya had me do. Ah'd have gotten an A if ya woulda helped me."

Logan chuckled when he remembered her shock at his refusal to help her. "Ya mean if I'd a done it for ya. We had this talk, remember. Don't ya feel better about yerself given that ya did all the work yerself?"

Rogue shrugged reluctant to admit he was right. "Yeah Ah guess; Ah mean Ah know how to do it now so that's good; and Ah understand how it all works."

Logan gave her a wry grin. "Never thought ya'd be havin' fun in the class though huh?"

Rogue looked sheepish as she answered. "Yeah, that's a bit of a surprise."

He took another puff on his cigar, blowing the smoke out slowly. "So, what'd ya want ta talk ta me about?"

"What do ya mean?"

"Come on Rogue, ya didn't track me down ta just tell me about yer shop class. I can see it all over ya; yer about ta jump outta yer skin. So I gotta ask, why?"

"Ah heard Jubilee talking to a bunch of the other students today."

"Yeah, what's she plannin' this time? Last I knew she'd already managed ta destroy the kitchen at least twice and nearly poisoned half the students. Is she tryin' ta bribe her way back inta the kitchen or somethin'?"

"No, not really. She was…well she says that she saw…Ah don't know if Ah believe it but Ah have to ask…" She stammered trying to find the right way to explain.

"Marie, spit it out before ya bite yer tongue by mistake."

"She says that she saw ya and Ororo in the workout room this morning." She was fishing for information; at least he thought she was.

He wondered just how much she knew, and how much she was merely guessing at. Logan shrugged suddenly wishing that he had a cigar handy. He felt like he needed a smoke. "Yeah so, we're there every mornin'." He was trying to play it cool but she didn't seem to be buying it. He knew that Jubilee had told her share of stories and often jumped to the wrong conclusions. But he wondered just what she had said to Rogue.

Rogue smirked. "Yeah well this time she says ya'll were kissing."

Logan felt the slight tic in his face at her words and he knew that she'd seen it as well. No one else would have noticed it; but one look at her face and he knew that she had.

A smile broke out on her face.

"Kissin' huh?"

She crossed her arms, meeting his eyes, refusing to back down. "Yeah."

His voice was quiet. Despite the seriousness of the topic, he couldn't resist dragging things out. "Do ya believe her?"

She nodded. "Ah'm inclined to given our previous conversation."

"Somebody's pretty articulate today."

She became agitated, as he continued to toy with her, drawing out the conversation. "Come on Logan, spill it."

"Uh-huh, right and watch ya walk off with the pot."

For a moment she looked confused. "The pot? Actually if its true, Ah won't win. Ah think Remy's got this week."

Logan chuckled as he realized that she had probably stopped to tell Remy about the conversation with Jubilee. He wondered if Ororo's dear adopted brother would be stopping by to warn her off of him in the near future. "Remy huh? Why'm I not surprised? Ya givin' him the inside track or somethin'?"

"No, we've never really talked about it. Ah mean Remy talks about Ororo a lot; they grew up together to some extent Ah think. He's never really cleared that up; just saying that she's like family to him even though they aren't really related."

"Yeah, he feels pretty protective of her."

"Don't try and distract me. And don't change the subject. Answer the question."

"Fine, I kissed her this morning. Yer damn pushy ya know that? Where'd ya get that from? Ya used ta be such a sweet girl."

She laughed. "Yeah well after having ya rattling around in my head, its amazing that Ah'm still this polite. So are ya two an item now?"

He grew serious. "I think so, yeah. But keep it ta yer for now; we'd like a chance ta see where this goes first."

Rogue nodded not even bothering to hide her happiness at the news that Logan had finally made his move. "Alright. So when's yer first date?"

"I thought I'd take her ta dinner tonight. I probably should ask Jean bout a good place." He began walking back to his room, with her in tow.

"Do ya have anything nice to wear?"

He shrugged as he wondered just what she might be leading him into. "Nice?"

She rolled her eyes at his tone of disbelief. "Yeah, like slacks and a dress shirt. Maybe a tie?"

Logan snorted loudly at that; the mere thought that he would not only own a tie but wear one was not something he would ever have voluntarily admitted to. "I have somethin' nice enough, I guess."

Rogue grabbed his arm and began dragging him in the direction of his room. "Come on Sugah, Ah want to see what you consider nice. Ya ain't takin' Ms. Munroe out wearing jeans."

Logan went along quietly enough, but he was suddenly fearful of just what Rogue planned to dress him in. "God help me from meddlin' women." He muttered quietly as she dragged him down the hall.

* * *

"Stormy, Remy need to talk to ya."

Ororo looked up from the stack of papers on her desk and regarded her brother with fond affection even as she cringed at his words. "Dear brother, if you value your life, you will stop using that wretched nickname."

Remy chuckled as he walked into the room and sat on the corner of her desk. "You always threaten Remy wit violence, but you still smile whenever he use dat name."

She could not resist a slight grin as she leaned away from the desk to contemplate him. "We shall see; now what did you need to speak to me about?"

"It is about dis guy Logan; Rogue says dat you and he were kissing. Is dat true?"

Ororo could not hide her surprise at his words; the kiss had only occurred mere hours ago. Though she and Logan knew that whatever relationship they had would soon be discovered, they both had thought they would have a small portion of time before the truth came out. It appeared that they were both mistaken.

"How in the Goddess's name did you find that out? Can there be no secrets in this house?"

Remy chuckled at her indignation.

Despite the gravity of the situation and the seriousness of the subject she found herself enjoying his amusement.

"From your answer, Remy would guess dat it is true."

Ororo decided to be completely honest with him; she was not sure if she could lie to him anyway. "Yes, Remy it is true; I did kiss Logan just this morning in the workout room; although once I find out how Marie found out so fast I shall glue that person's lips shut."

"But why Ororo, why kiss dis man? He does not seem your type."

She looked puzzled. "I was not aware that I ever had a type. Though, I know that he is not like any other man I have ever dated. But things change. People change. I tried loving a man that was what everyone thought was perfect for me. And it broke my heart." She watched a trace of anguish flutter across his face at the mention of the man who nearly broke her heart.

"But dis one could do it too. Remy wishes dat you would not see him. He does not want to see your heart broken again."

Ororo reached out, taking his hand in hers, touched by his concern even as she felt annoyance at his overprotective nature. "Remy, dear brother, I love you. And I say this with the utmost affection: but kindly butt out."

"But Stormy,"

She cut him off with a swift gesture of her elegant hand, her annoyance clearly evident in both her face and her words. "Everyone I care about is trying to tell me how to live my life; how I should be content. I love you all but I am tired of it. I need to know if being with Logan can bring me that contentment. I am tired of sitting back, watching others living their lives and being happy. I want to feel again; even if it is just a couple nights of hot steamy sex."

Remy couldn't hide his shock at her rather personal words. "Ororo!"

She slapped his arm affectionately even as she continued. "Do not act so surprised brother; as someone just so recently pointed out to me, I am a flesh and blood woman. I have wants and needs just like everyone else here. But unlike other women, I have a caring loving family that is about to smother me into spinsterhood."

Remy grabbed her shoulders, meeting her gaze firmly, his face concerned. "We just want to protect you."

She smiled with genuine affection as she touched his cheek gently. "And I want to protect you dear brother. But I know that you must live your life and be free to make mistakes that might cause you pain. And because I know this, I did not speak out when you began seeing Rogue; even though I was worried that a relationship with her might cause both of you considerable heartache."

"But Remy loves her; Remy would do anything to see her happy; to keep her safe."

Her tone softened even as she grew serious. "I know that Remy. But you must realize that she may never gain control of her powers; you may never be able to touch her. Are you prepared to live the rest of your life knowing that? Are your prepared to spend the rest of your life celibate simply to be with her?"

His reply was vehement and firm. "Yes."

She knew that he truly meant what he said and loved him all the more for it. Ororo touched his arm gently and smiled at his resolve. "Then you understand why I must do this. I know that you wish to protect me, but you did not object overly much when I asked him to teach me to fight; nor did you object when I told you he had promised to teach me to ride his motorcycle. And while I must admit, this is a bit different, I do not understand why you should object so strongly if I decide to date him."

Remy didn't bother to hide his agitation at her inability to see what was bothering him about the whole idea of her and Logan dating. "Because he will leave you Ororo. And Remy does not want to see dat happen again. Picking up da pieces once is enough for Remy."

She was surprised by the fear she heard in his voice; surprised more that she had failed to see it coming before now. She should have realized after what had happened with Forge. It was time for some stark honesty. "Yes Remy, you are probably right. He will leave me. But he is not Forge. And I know that when he does leave, he does so for a reason and he will come back as soon and as quickly as he can."

Remy's face did not looked convinced. "You don't know dat."

"Yes I do. I have seen the heart inside Logan and it is loyal and compassionate; despite what he shows to the world, he cares. Look at Marie if you doubt what I say. She knows him as well, if not better than I do because of what passed between them. You were not here the last time that he left but I can tell you that she was not a bit worried that he might not return. In fact, she told me that it was only a matter of time before he showed up again and she was right."

Remy sighed loudly, his shoulders sagging in defeat as he looked at her. "Remy knows that look in his Stormy's eyes. You were always a stubborn girl; even our Pere said so. Remy knows better den to argue wit you when you get dis way. So Remy will not say anyting more about da Wolverine. But if he hurts you Ororo, Remy will know. Da Wolverine will not like what Remy will do to him."

Ororo laughed at her adopted brother as he stood up from her desk. "Between you and Jean threatening him with bodily harm if he so much as looked at me cross eyed, I am surprised he kissed me at all. Next I will have Scott and Hank storming in here to tell me that Logan is the devil incarnate and I am to be his next sacrifice."

Remy chuckled even as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek affectionately.

She accepted the kiss gracefully, but then shooed him off as she tried to turn her attention back to the papers at her desk. "Now be off with you dear brother; unlike you, I have a great deal of work to do." She watched him walk out wondering. W_ho else is going to tell me this is a bad idea?_

* * *

Logan had finally escaped from Rogue's scrutinizing grasp. She hadn't seemed happy with anything he had shown her. So he had simply turned her loose in his closet and quietly slipped out before she managed to finagle him into trying anything on. He'd then gone back to the library looking for Jean, but she had gone and he hadn't been able to find her. So now he was walking quickly down the hall towards Ororo's classroom to tell her of the plans he had made and ask her where she wanted to go out to eat. He stepped back quickly as Remy stepped through the door. 

"Hey Cajun."

Remy stopped for a moment, scrutinizing him for several moments in silence. Logan began to feel as if Remy was looking for a reason to ask him to step outside; subdued violence was set in every line of his body.

"Remy will say dis only once Wolverine. Stormy is Remy's sister; dere is no blood between us, but she is Remy's sister just da same. So you will remember dat before you decide to date her."

"Point taken Cajun. But just ya remember she's a grown woman; she doesn't have ta justify her life ta ya."

"No, she does not. But if you break her heart, Remy will come for yours."

"If I break her heart, I just might let ya. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like ta talk ta 'Ro." Logan brushed by Remy, the conversation ended in his mind. He could feel the weight of Remy's eyes on his back as he walked to Ororo's desk.

She looked up, smiling up at him, her face registering obvious delight at his arrival. She stood and embraced him.

"Hey darlin'. I was hoping I might catch ya still workin'." He let his hands rest on her hips as she pulled away slightly.

"The students handed in their essays today; I was trying to get started grading them before Remy came in. But it seems that today is not my day to get anything done; I keep getting interrupted."

"Well, if I'm keepin' ya from somethin' important, I can leave."

She chuckled as he stepped back, away from her. She reached out and grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving the room. "No, do not go. I was only teasing. Now why were looking for me?"

"Can't a man come in to say hi ta a beautiful, gorgeous woman?"

"Yes, but somehow I do not think that was all you had in mind."

"What makes ya say that?"

"There is a glint in your eye; you are up to something."

"Actually, this time I'm really not 'up to somethin' as ya put it. I just came to ask ya if ya would like to go to dinner with me tonight."

"Dinner? You want to take me to dinner?" She could not hide the surprise in her voice.

"Of course. Ya didn't think I just wanted a roll in the hay did ya?"

Ororo let her eyes fall, unable to meet his. "I am not sure what I thought."

Logan touched her chin, gently lifting her face as he looked her squarely in the eye. "'Ro, I told ya before that I wanted to take this slow, see where it goes. As much as I might want to, jumpin' right into bed with ya wouldn't be a good thing to do."

"All right. Where were you planning on taking me tonight?"

"I thought I'd let you choose."

She looked thoughtful for a moment and he wondered just what thoughts were rattling around inside her lovely head. "Well, do ya have any ideas?" She shrugged and he could see a bit of mischief creep into her eyes. He had seen that look before, right about the time that she had presented him with his "randomly" chosen Halloween costume. He braced himself even as he wondered what she was up to this time.

"I am not sure that you would want to do this with me."

"Now I'm gettin' worried darlin'. After all the things ya've managed ta con me into, what could there possibly be that ya'd think I wouldn't do?"

"I was thinking miniature golf."

"I didn't think that any places were open this time of year. It's gotten pretty cold out 'Ro. We just discussed stoppin' our rides just last week."

"I know of one place that is indoors; they are open all year long."

"Can I ask why?"

"We have been comrades in arms, then friends and now this. You told me that you wanted to take this slow; so do I. As this is our first date I see no need to complicate it by making either of us uncomfortable. This is something simple, something neutral that we can do together. You do not have to dress up and I do not have to worry if I am forcing you into an awkward situation. The more extravagant dates can come later, when we have had time to explore this new side of our relationship."

"What bout dinner?"

"Let us keep that simple as well; I have been craving pizza all day."

"Just promise me that it'll have some form of meat on it somewhere." His tone was pleading.

She laughed. "I promise."

"Well I've got my meetin' with Chuck at seven; should take about an hour. How does eight sound?"

"Eight would be perfect."

He kissed her gently and stepped back from her. "See ya then darlin'." He walked out of her classroom whistling as he walked away. For a moment, the cheery tone filled the large hallway.

Suddenly, Scott rounded the corner, a disbelieving look on his face. "Someone call the press, Logan's in a good mood."

"Can it One Eye; not even you could bring me down today." Logan looked around, seeing that Scott wasn't the only one staring at him as if he'd sprouted another head. "And what the hell are ya all starin' at anyway. Ain't nobody ever been in a good mood in this house before?" He began muttering under his breath as he walked away.

hr

Ororo heard the entire exchange and chuckled to herself as Logan's voice faded and she turned her attention back to the papers in front of her. A moment later, Scott popped his head into the room.

"Hey 'Ro, you got a minute?"

"Please tell me not you too!"

Scott looked slightly puzzled. "Not 'me too' what?"

Ororo hung her head, a an aggrieved sigh escaping her. _Goddess save me from well intentioned idiots. If he says one thing about Logan, I shall fry him where he stands. _She thought even as she reached up to rub her temples, trying to massage away the headache that was beginning to blossom just behind her eyes. "What is it Scott?"

"Jean and I were wondering if you could watch the kids tonight; she wants to try and catch a movie."

She looked up, a slightly evil smile on her face as she gave her reply. "I am sorry Scott, but you will have to stay in and rent a movie. I have a date tonight."

"That's great, we…" he stammered suddenly as her words finally penetrated. "You have a what? With who?"

"Despite the rumor to contrary I do have a life outside of this school and the team. And who my date is with is none of your business. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?"

He stood there for several seconds, struck dumb by her words.

"Scott, do close your mouth. I think the chances of attracting flies with it this time of year are relatively nonexistent. What else do you need?"

His mouth snapped shut. "Nothing Ororo; I hope you have a nice night."

She watched him walk out somewhat dazed and sighed loudly. Despite his mystified actions, she would have bet money that he was even then headed to find Jean and tell her of what he'd just learned. She turned her attention back to the essays before her even as she began to mentally tick off the minutes until Jean herself came looking for her.

* * *

She didn't actually approach Ororo until later that day; not until after the last of the students' classes had ended. In fact, Ororo had all but given up on her showing up at all as she climbed the stairs to her attic room to begin preparing for her date with Logan when she saw Jean just ahead of her in the hall.

"Jean, are you looking for me?"

Jean smiled at her and rushed over to take her arm as she practically dragged Ororo up the rest of the stairs.

"Jean what in Goddess's name are you doing?"

Jean remained silent, dragging her into her room and shutting the door. "The walls have ears; well, not so much ears as nosy students with ears. I didn't want anyone to overhear anything. You're going to have a hard enough time keeping this a secret as it is."

Ororo calmly walked over to her closet, mentally pondering what to wear even as she gave Jean a cool as cucumber response. "Keep what a secret exactly Jean?"

Her friend chuckled as she came to stand next to her. "You can play dumb all you want 'Ro, but I know about you and Logan. He told me this morning in the library, right after your workout. When Scott came in a few hours ago, stammering some nonsense about you having a date, I put two and two together and came up with one; as in only one possibility. You two have a date tonight."

The smile on Jean's face was infectious and Ororo found herself returning it. For a moment, they stared at each other smiling and then the years melted away from them both as they both screamed with excitement and began laughing like loons. They were no longer adults; the simple concept of a date had regressed them into a couple of giggling teenage girls. Jean dragged her over to the bed and sat down on it as she began grilling Ororo for details.

"So what happened, mountain man finally make his move?"

Ororo laughed at the mental image produced by the very apt nickname for Logan. "He kissed me, after our sparring session this morning."

"I thought he was in a damn good mood when I spoke to him this morning."

"Jean, you said that he told you about us."

"Sorry, I lied hoping you might spill the beans. The only thing Logan spoke to me about was that he was attracted to you."

Ororo frowned, but there was no sting behind the gesture. "You are setting a bad example."

"For who? No one's here but you and me. Besides, it's not like you wouldn't have done the same thing if the tables were reversed; or need I remind you of who pumped who for information when Scott finally asked me out?"

Ororo laughed as she recalled the night when Jean had shown up at her door, slightly befuddled and confused but radiant all the same. "No, let us not get into that. As I recall, somehow that conversation quickly spiraled out of control when someone in this room, who shall remain nameless, decided 'we' needed a drink."

Jean groaned at the reminder. "Don't remind me. I don't know who was more surprised, you or Scott, when I leaped off your balcony, knocking him down and kissing him senseless."

"I would say Scott. I thought you might snap one day."

Jean laughed loudly as she stood and looked through Ororo's clothes. "So where is he taking you?"

"I had thought to keep this first date simple; I asked him to take me for a pizza and a round of miniature golf."

Jean turned around, flabbergasted by her words. "You didn't!" Ororo nodded. "Well then, I guess something sexy and somewhat revealing is out."

"I should think so." Ororo came up behind her and touched her shoulder lightly. "Jean, are you alright with this, Logan and I dating I mean?"

Jean looked at her and touched the hand that rested on her shoulder. "You should be happy; if this is what you need to be happy, then yes I'm just fine with it."

Touched, Ororo reached out and embraced her.

There was a slight sheen of unshed tears in Jean's eyes as she pulled away, sniffling a bit. She turned back to Ororo's closet, reaching into Ororo's stunning wardrobe and grabbed a simple comfortable top. "Now, let's get you dressed, shall we."

* * *

Logan had just left his meeting with Xavier and he was running a bit late. He was hopeful that Ororo wouldn't be too angry; he really hadn't intended for the meeting to ramble on as it had. But something had changed between him and Xavier during the months since his return. They're meetings had evolved far beyond the original idea of a simple progress report from him to the professor. At first, Logan had felt awkward and said little unless the professor asked a direct question. But as time passed, and Logan had settled into his roll as a teacher, the meetings became something more for both of them.

Logan often went to the professor when he needed an ear and the professor had begun to use him as sounding board for ideas on how best to train the students and other members of the team. In fact, a few of the newest danger room scenarios that the X-men were facing were courtesy of Logan's suggestions to the professor on how to best push the other members of the team. Logan also gave several suggestions on how best to train some of the students in the use of their powers.

That's what had happened; Logan had been trying to help the professor figure out a way for a powerful mutant to learn to control and utilize his abilities. All while dealing with some severe emotional trauma from the young man and guilt over having accidentally killed someone when his powers were out of control. Logan felt emotionally drained after his discussion with the professor and knew that a night out with Ororo, just the two of them, would go a long way towards lifting his spirits. He left the professor with the promise that he would pass on any helpful hints he could think of and rushed to Ororo's room.

He arrived to the music of female laughter and realized after a moment that Jean was in the room with Ororo. It seemed that he wasn't the only one that was running late. He reached up and knocked and the laughter faded away as Jean came to the door.

She opened it not at all surprised to find him on the other side of it. She leaned out and kissed him on the cheek gently; he fought the urge to blush as she appraised him closely.

"Hey Logan, I came up to give 'Ro a hand with her outfit. We ran a little over; she'll be ready in a second."

He smiled slightly as she turned back into the room and he followed her. "Red, if you were anyone else, I'd accuse ya of drinkin'."

There was a sound of muffled laughter from the bathroom and Jean smiled at him. "Not this time Logan. Ororo and I were just reminiscing and sometimes we end up giggling like little girls."

"Somehow I'm wonderin' if the two of ya are up ta no good."

Jean shot him a mischievious look. "Always."

Ororo came out of the bathroom, her heady strong earthy scent filling the room. Logan looked at her, suddenly unaware of anything else around him as she walked over to Jean to grab a jacket and her purse.

"Pay her no mind Logan, she is just giddy that is all."

Logan looked over Jean's shoulder, watching as she adjusted an earring. He brushed past Jean and approached her. She smiled and laced her arm through his.

* * *

Jean watched Logan closely as Ororo walked over to him and put her arm through his. She mentally sighed at the look that passed between the two of them. She knew in that moment that nothing and no one else existed for Logan, than the beautiful woman standing by his side. Seeing him, so enamored with someone else caused a slight pang of jealousy which she ruthlessly quashed. This was their moment, their time to shine as a new couple. There was no room for her petty jealousies and concerns over what might have been. 

She knew, in that moment that Logan had fallen far deeper than even he knew. And it wouldn't be long before Ororo fell as well. Their earlier conversation floated back across her memory and despite her earlier misgivings towards the idea of the two of them together she found herself looking forward to watching them fall for each other. They were both stubborn, headstrong and willful people; more often fighting the urges of their passionate natures; they were bound to cause a few sparks and explosions between them.

But watching everything unfold from the sidelines, watching them take the leap from friends to something more, would more than make up for the commotion they were likely to cause. She cleared her throat and the two of them turned from each other; guilty expressions on their faces as they realized that they had been so involved with each other, that they had forgotten she was there. She smiled at them both, hugged Ororo quickly and excused herself from the room. She had the sudden urge to curl up with Scott and con him into watching some tear jerking chick flick.

* * *

Behind her, Logan observed Ororo as she watched Jean leave the room. She was dressed simply, jeans and a simple light top. But Logan couldn't seem to take her eyes off of her. Maybe it was because this was the turning point in their relationship. Once they stepped out the door together, there was no going back to what they had been before. After even a single date, Logan knew that there was no way he could ever look at Ororo simply as a friend again. The idea both terrified and thrilled him. So he did the only thing he could think to do before he chickened out completely. He closed his eyes and jumped. 

"Ya look beautiful."

Ororo turned, blushing slightly at his intense steel gray gaze. She looked down at her clothes and looked back at him. "Thank you."

He took her jacket from her, draping it over his arm as he took her hand and led her to the door. "Ya ready darlin'?"

She nodded. "Yes Logan, I am."

He led her out of the door.


	10. The Date

Summary: Logan and Ororo are finally headed out for their first date. And Ororo has chosen miniature golf and pizza. What surprises might be in store for them?

Author's Note: Hey all; I am back with something new. Now that everything has calmed down again; the summer is over, I've moved and started my new jobs I can once again turn my imagination and time to completing this tale. I know this one is short; there's really not much to it. It's just a simple telling of their first date. Its straight forward and right to the point. I figured that they deserved to have their first date go off without a hitch. In later chapters, things are about to get more complicated and there are a few surprises in store for them. So please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

Logan and Ororo, through a quirk in the evolution of the human species, had both been born mutants. Each blessed with unique and powerful abilities that raised them far above the heads of ordinary human beings. Because of this twist of fate, they had each faced major obstacles throughout the years while fighting for their lives and the belief that they had as much a right to a normal life as anyone else.

Facing countless mutant enemies who sought to simply destroy the human race and claim ownership of the Earth for themselves; fighting against human prejudice that pushed them to destroy all mutants simply for the accident of their birth. And yet, somehow, amidst the mind numbing tragedy and loss of the lives they had chosen to live, still they managed to preserve and thrive; finding a way to live in a world that would sooner see them dead. But all of those difficulties and dangerous situations seemed to suddenly pale in comparison the night that they tried to sneak out of the mansion, undetected to go on their first date.

It was absurd really; and Logan admitted that thought to himself and out loud even as he and Ororo used every trick of stealth and evasion tactics that they had at their disposal. For every step towards the door they had managed to take, they had been forced to take one step in retreat; hiding from groups of students as they passed by and avoiding any of the rooms where they knew the children liked to congregate. At his low voiced muttering, Ororo had merely laughed at him and continued onward down the hall, her eyes and ears sharp on the look out for any approaching student. Given her history as a thief and pickpocket, he figured that this was wonderfully nostalgic for her.

"I don't know exactly why we're doing this. The damn kids had a pool on when we'd start datin'. It's not like they were oblivious or anythin'."

Ororo looked at him in surprise. From the look on her face, he guessed that this was the first that she had heard of a betting pool.

"The students were betting on when we would start seeing each other?"

Logan nodded as Ororo peaked around a corner for a few seconds, checking to see if the coast was clear. She stepped around it nimbly even as Logan took up her spot.

"Remind me to tell ya bout the conversation I had with Rogue earlier this week."

"Then if you do not care, dear Logan, let the children find out. Although I must admit, I am having a great deal of fun from all of this."

He chuckled as he grabbed her hand again, pleased that she was enjoying her evening so far; despite the fact that they hadn't even made it out the door yet. His reply was lost though when one of the students suddenly appeared in the middle of the hallway, thanks to some unique genetic abilities.

Logan, closer to a hiding place and slightly behind her, dropped Ororo's hand, moving for the nearest room even as he felt her push him gently towards an unlocked door. He slipped into the room silently and listened with his heightened senses as the student greeted Ororo warmly.

"Artie, I thought we had agreed that you were to use your powers only when out of doors. The professor was concerned that there might be a repeat of last time; or did you intend to materialize inside the refrigerator?"

Logan saw the young mutant blush slightly and nod his head before he apologized and headed to his room. Logan waited a moment for the sounds of his footsteps to fade away before he stuck his head out of the room. "Let's get outta here before we run into someone else."

Ororo chuckled, patting his cheek gently. "And here I thought you were here to sweep me off my feet. My knight in shining armor."

He scowled slightly as they continued down the hall. "Yeah, right. And I suppose that wasn't yer hand I felt on my ass, encouragin' me along into that room."

She smiled and shrugged.

Logan noticed a decidedly impish light appear in her eyes.

"I had hoped to slip in with you but Artie spotted me."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "So ya took the opportunity to cop a feel?" She was stoically silent. He chuckled. "Well darlin', how's bout returnin' the favor?" He rubbed his hands together and then put them on her shoulders as he eyed her curvaceous form appreciatively.

She reached up covering his hands with her own, laughing loudly. "Keep that up Logan, and there could be a great deal more electricity in the air than you had hoped for."

For a moment, there was a shadow of white across her eyes, and Logan could feel the hair on his arms and the back of his neck start to stand up. He leaned closer to her, his lips whispering across hers, barely touching them his breath brushing gently across her face. "One of these days, we're gonna see if ya really have the guts to zap me."

Ororo chuckled and released her power, allowing the blue of her eyes to show through once more.

"Logan, Ah thought ya'll were leaving."

Logan and Ororo both started, resisting the urge to jump apart at the sudden intrusion. Logan looked up at Marie as she strode up to them hurriedly.

"If yer tryin' not to be spotted, ya'll need to get outta this hallway; the others are right behind me."

"We are leaving right now Marie." Ororo grabbed Logan's hand firmly in her own and began dragging him towards the back of the mansion.

"Ya'll have a good time."

Ororo began heading back towards her room, and Logan followed confused.

"'Ro, I thought ya wanted ta go out tonight."

"I do Logan, but with the children here, we may never be able to leave unseen. Given that, perhaps we should make a more direct exit."

He followed her into her room and watched as she opened the large window that faced the front of the mansion. She turned to him and he was struck by the brilliant image before him. The sun was setting even as the moon rose to take its place. The two heavenly bodies were illuminating the Earth with their pale, pure light. The ethereal light enveloped her, haloing her hair in brilliant flame.

She held out her hand, a slight smile on her face. "Do you trust me Logan?"

He looked at her and without thinking, placed his large, callused hand into her slender one." Always, 'Ro."

She pulled him close, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as he wrapped one around her waist. He watched, fascinated as she let the control over her power slip, her brilliant blue eyes clouding over as she let her mutant gift free, commanding the elements around them both.

He felt the wind begin to stir, lifting her hair and ruffling their clothes as it intensified. She surrounded them with the wind, lifting them from the floor and he felt the air around them swirling, solidifying to support their weight as she directed the flow to take them out the window and into the sky. She let them glide down to ground, landing gently as she released him.

"Ya've been working on your control."

"Yes, I have. It seemed appropriate."

Logan felt the urge to lean in and kiss her tempting lips. But there was a sudden large shout of laughter from the mansion reminding him that they might be discovered at any moment. Reluctantly he pulled apart away from her. "I think it's time we got the hell outta here."

She nodded. "Yes, it is."

"Just let me get the car."

"What about your bike?"

"I wasn't sure 'bout that. I thought that you'd want to ride in a car."

"I would like to ride as we have been riding these past months. Besides, I have been using the rides as an excuse to be close to you."

He smiled at her admission. "Then, let's get the bike."

* * *

They roared up to the place that Ororo had picked out; a combination indoor miniature golf course and arcade. Logan stared at the place silently as Ororo removed her helmet. He hated crowds; always had. He avoided them whenever possible; that was why he never volunteered to take any of the students to the mall or on fieldtrips. Despite the changes within him in the past year or so, settling down at Xavier's mansion being the most prominent in his mind, he still craved the isolation of the badlands and the frigid regions in the North. But for her, because she wanted this, he would endure. 

"They look busy."

Ororo set her helmet aside and smiled at the uncertain tone in his voice. "It is Friday night Logan." He simply grunted. "Let us go inside, shall we?"

Ororo led him inside and within minutes, Logan found himself, club in hand watching her line up her first shot. He gazed at her, feeling slightly dumbfounded at the realization that she was there, with him. For a moment, he simply stood there taking in the sight of her.

She was so focused, so determined, her concentration total as she watched the ball roll down the outdoor turf. He found it amusing that she would take something as simple as a game of miniature golf as serious as she was. She gave a sharp cry of triumph as the ball continued to roll, and with a soft plopping noise, fell into the hole. She turned to Logan, a wide grin on her face.

"A hole in one on my very first shot."

"Impressive darlin'."

"Indeed. Are you up for a friendly wager?"

Logan snorted slightly as he took her place at the tee. "Darlin', there is no such thing as a friendly wager with ya."

She laughed loudly. "Come now Logan, surely you are not afraid that I might hustle you again. This is not a game of nine ball after all." He shrugged, lining up his shot.

"I just don't want to take advantage of ya." He watched her out of the corner of his eye, loving the surprised look on her face.

She seemed unsure of exactly how to take his words and he found the slightly uncertain look on her usually confident face a bit humorous. "What makes you think that you would be taking advantage of me?"

He swung his club back slowly and took his shot. They watched in silence as the ball rolled toward the hole. He turned to her, just as it ball fell into the hole; the soft plastic plop echoing loudly despite the noisy, crowded room. He whistled softly, a sly grin on his own face. "What was that ya were sayin' about a wager 'Ro?" He chuckled when she simply ignored him and they continued onto the next hole.

* * *

Some time later, they walked into a local pizza joint; a small, crowded place reeking of tomato sauce, garlic and other spices. Despite the crowd at the arcade place, and the crowd at the small pizza place that Ororo had picked, Logan felt surprisingly calm and relaxed. He noticed the noise and other patrons around him; he never failed to notice everything. But they didn't immediately register in his mind; Ororo's presence seemed to not only block it all out, but it soothed him, stilling the panic within him that might have sent him racing back to the mansion hours before. They sat in a small booth, looking over the menu as they argued over the pizza toppings. 

"Logan, I understand your need to eat meat; but some of us do need to watch our cholesterol levels. I do not care to order a pizza called the 'Cardiac Special'."

"Come on 'Ro, where's yer sense of adventure?"

"I am not worried about my sense of adventure; however my arteries are another matter entirely."

"Well I'm not agreein' to anchovies. I was hopin' ya'd order some kind of meat, not a meat wanna be."

"What if we get them on the side?" There was a hopeful glint in her eyes as she spoke and he fought the urge to simply give in.

"Darlin', if you want this date to end with a kiss, you'll forget the anchovies." She smiled at him as she leaned forward to whisper her words in a low voice, meaning them for his ears alone.

"Why wait until the end of the date?"

He leaned forward as well, until their lips were nearly touching, only a fraction of an inch apart. "'Cause then I'd have to watch you eat them; and darlin', even with a healin' factor that is not a sight my stomach could take."

She couldn't contain the giggle that escaped her. Just at that moment, the waiter appeared to take their order.

Logan never took his eyes from Ororo as he ordered for them. "Give us a large vegetarian with sausage." Just as the waiter turned to leave, Logan grabbed him to add something to the order. "We'll also need some anchovies to go. We'll want those with our check; and make sure they're wrapped in plastic. I don't want to spend the ride home smellin' those damn things."

Ororo giggled again as the waiter left to fill their order. "That was very a sweet thing to do Logan; I will enjoy them. Do you think you could put them in an omelet?" He snorted loudly as he leaned back from her.

"If ya think I'm gonna cook anythin' for ya with those things in it, then yer more optimistic than I thought."

She laughed outright at those words. "And here you were bragging about your ability as a cook. You told me you were very skilled."

"Darlin', I've turned some pretty sad fare into somethin' that looked like a five star banquet. But there ain't no skill in the world that could make those things edible; I'm skilled but I don't do miracles."

"I must admit that I find it a bit of a surprise that you do cook. Many men in the mansion do not practice that particular skill very much." The waiter set glasses of water down between them along with the baskets of bread that the parlor was famous for. Logan shrugged as he took a piece of bread eating it slowly.

"Their loss I guess; I've been in a lot of situations where if I didn't cook, I didn't eat. So it just made sense that if I was gonna have to spend a lot of time eatin' it, it better be good. Man can only live on grill cheese and fried bologna sandwiches for so long before cravin' more serious fare."

"A simple man with sophisticated tastes."

Logan chuckled along with her when he caught a subtle scent in the air and took a deeper whiff, trying to locate it. He glanced behind him at the door where a large group of teenagers had just walked in. He caught a glimpse of dark hair and combined with the scent he was picking up, he found himself swearing softly.

"Logan, what is wrong?"

Sorry darlin'. We're gonna have ta get that pizza ta go. Some of the students just walked in."

Ororo resisted the urge to look around; she didn't want to draw anymore attention to herself than she normally did. Her very appearance often set her apart without any help whatsoever from her personality. "Where? Who?"

"I only caught sight of Kitty; but you know that anywhere she is, the icicle is too."

"Logan, the boy does have a name."

Logan resisted the urge to throw up his hands in frustration. It was hardly the time to argue either point. He managed to keep his voice low; he didn't want the students to notice them. "I know that; look do ya want ta get caught yet, or do ya want ta try and keep us a secret for a little while longer?"

Ororo didn't hesitate. "Let us take the pizza back to the mansion; we can eat by the lake, or in the greenhouse. Just so long as it is quiet and none of the students are around."

"Sounds like a deal to me. You sneak out the back and I'll grab our dinner." He watched her head toward the restrooms; he knew that she would probably find a window to sneak out of, or leave from the kitchen. Sure that she would get away unseen, he walked up to the counter not even trying to hide his presence. He waved his waiter over, speaking to him quietly requesting that their order be boxed up to go. He then stood there at the counter to wait for it. Or course he was spotted by the group of students.

"Logan, what are you doing here?" He turned at the sound of Kitty's excited, young voice. He raised an eyebrow at the question, looking around them.

"What's it look like? I'm eatin' out." Just at that moment the waiter showed up with his order. Logan paid his tab, tipping him generously before eyeing the group of teenagers. "I know its Friday, but don't forget there's a curfew." There was a murmured chorus of "yes sir" and he walked out of the pizza parlor to see Ororo standing next to his bike, the helmet on her head, hiding her distinctive hair and eyes. A little while later found them in the greenhouse, sitting on a blanket, surrounded by candles eating the pizza on napkins, a cold six pack of beer sitting between them.

"I hope yer havin' a good time 'Ro. This wasn't exactly the way I intended our first date to be."

She smiled a bit, reaching up to wipe a smear of pizza sauce from his face as he lounged on the blanket. He was rapidly eating his way through the pizza. "I am enjoying this Logan; there is no pressure on either of us. I hope that you were not expecting a great deal more."

He shook his head as he eyed the pizza trying to decide if he wanted another piece or if he was going to be a gentleman. She saw him contemplating the open box and knew that he was holding back to be sure that she had enough. Finding that a touch endearing, she reached in and handed him a slice.

"Thanks. No, 'Ro I just wanted ta spend time with ya; whatever ya picked tonight, I probably woulda done it."

She smiled at his words. "You would not eat anchovies on your pizza."

"Every man has his limits 'Ro."

She smiled. "But this is nice Logan, thank you." There was silence for a few moments as they ate.

She watched as he threw the final crust back into the box as he took a swig of beer and watched her pick the vegetables off her final slice of pizza. "So tell about your conversation with Marie."

Logan chuckled as he gave her the gist of what they had talked about. At the mention of Remy's involvement and subsequent winning of the dating pool, Ororo's brow rose noticeably. "He has gotten a great deal more cunning than I remembered."

Logan looked puzzled. "What ya mean by that?"

"Before you came into my classroom to ask me to dinner tonight, my dear brother was in there."

"Yeah I know, he and I had a few words in the hallway."

"So you will not be too surprised to learn that he was against my seeing you. I guess I should not be surprised that he would participate in the pool; Remy is a gambler at heart. I just wonder why he would be so duplicitous as to take the money while trying to dissuade me from seeing you." Logan made himself more comfortable on the blanket, shrugging at her words.

"He just cares about ya 'Ro. He don't want to see ya get hurt, that's all."

"Yes, I know that well. But if they all continue to protect me I will become a spinster." Logan chuckled at the image of Ororo as a iron willed old lady, still teaching and surrounded by cats as she wandered around the mansion. She gave him a strange look as she continued to pick at her pizza and he decided to change the subject.

"So tell the truth 'Ro, how long have ya been attracted to me?"

She took a bite of her pizza feeling a bit unsure at the question. "I am not sure that I should tell you. I do not want to deflate your ego."

He shook his head. "Don't worry, I can handle it."

"If you must know, I have felt an attraction to you for a long time; I just did not recognize it for what it truly was until recently."

"What ya mean?"

"You and I have many things in common and I thought what I felt stemmed from those commonalities; not from any physical attraction. It was not until several months ago, when you returned, that I began to feel something more. Only when I realized that, I was afraid to act upon it because of what you felt for Jean."

He frowned wondering how long what he had felt for Jean was going to come between them. "Ya believe me don't ya, that I don't feel the same way for her?"

Ororo nodded as she threw her pizza crust into the box as well. She made herself more comfortable on the blanket, lying on her side facing him as she reached out to grab his hand. "Yes, I do believe you; I would not be here, I would not have allowed any of this to happen if I did not believe that. But at the moment that I came to that realization, I did not know the truth." She watched him as he studied their entwined hands before bringing them up to kiss her gently. She shivered at the touch of his lips. "Now it is your turn to be honest with me. When did you realize that you saw me as little more than background decoration?"

He pretended to ponder the answer despite the fact that he knew well when he had realized the truth of what he was feeling. "The day ya knocked me on my ass."

She jabbed his arm playfully. "Logan, be serious."

"I am 'Ro. Nothing turns me on more than an aggressive woman. Or didn't ya notice my abrupt 'departure'?"

She frowned for a second and he knew she was thinking back on that day. He saw the realization suddenly dawn on her and she laughed a bit. "I am sorry Logan, I did not realize."

"I didn't want ya ta; I ain't embarrassed by it, but I wasn't sure what the hell was goin' on. And I for sure had no idea how you might react."

She moved closer to him, reaching out and touching his chest gently, watching his nostrils flare as he inhaled deeply. "But now you do."

"Yeah, now I do." He leaned forward his lips touching hers gently.

"This was a lovely evening Logan, thank you."

He stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers. He brushed a strand of her hair back from her face, as he used his sensitive touch to learn the contours and texture of her beautiful face. "I'm glad ya enjoyed it 'Ro." He smiled, his eyes going back to the pizza box and the heavily wrapped doggie bag that sat next to it. "And thanks for keeping the anchovies to yer."

Her laughter echoed musically throughout the greenhouse.


	11. The Morning After Mission

Summary: The morning after their first date, Ororo awakes to find Logan has left on a mission.

* * *

Ororo awoke in stages, feeling her body slowly coming alive around her as she dozed in her bed. The sunlight that streamed through her window was her first sensation; its warmth caressing her skin, inviting her to wake up and greet the day. She slowly became aware of other sensations from other parts of her body; there was first the feel of the soft sheets on her skin and the weight of the bedding along the length of her body. 

Then as she awoke further, the sensations around her increasing and becoming more detailed as the world around her pressed in, she could feel the texture of the sheets and began to note her arms and legs coming alive as well. Until she could feel each gentle breath as her chest rose and fell, her heart beating in rhythm with those measured breaths.

Her mind too awoke in stages, at first simply registering the tactile sensations around her and progressing until she could once again consciously sense the environmental currents around her. She lay there floating in those unseen eddies, reveling in her reconnection to the Goddess and the elements. This was a welcome morning ritual; one she had quickly discovered was vital to both her mental health and the continued stable control of her powers. She had ignored the need once; and had suffered the entire day for her pride; she did not care to ever repeat that mistake.

As her mental function increased, thoughts came into her mind at random. At first, these thoughts were minor ones; things that she had been thinking of as she slept and dreamed the night away. These gave way to thoughts of more substance and pertinent to her recent experiences. She found her mind focusing again and again on Logan and their night out together. She smiled, her eyes still closed as she recalled the events of the night before.

She had enjoyed herself a great deal; pleasantly surprised that he was not only willing to do what she wanted, but he also seemed to enjoy himself. Although, she was a bit surprised that he had soundly trounced her at the miniature golf game. And the entire exchange at the pizza parlor had been quite entertaining. She was pulled from further thoughts as there was a quiet knock on her door. She groaned softly, hoping the person at her door would leave as she pulled the covers over her head trying to recapture the pleasant morning glow.

_Wake up sleepy head, I know you're in there. I can _hear_ you. _

Ororo groaned softly, sitting up as Jean opened the door.

She ducked as Ororo threw a pillow at her and fell back into bed. "From your mood I would say that it didn't go well." She sat down next to her friend on the bed.

"If you must know Jean, it went very well. However, my present mood has more to do with your timely interruption than anything that happened last night."

Jean smiled.

"Pleasant dreams?"

"Pleasant thoughts; which you were so kind to pull me from."

"Well, if it helps I come bearing gifts." As she spoke a tray floated into the room with a veritable breakfast feast overflowing it.

Ororo looked at the tray in disbelief and felt her stomach growl loudly. "Jean, we cannot possibly eat all that."

Jean shrugged. "Probably not, but then I wasn't exactly expecting you to be alone this morning."

Ororo reached for another pillow, mindful to aim carefully so as not to spill the food that Jean had so thoughtfully brought.

Jean held up her hands in surrender as she chuckled. "Okay, okay I mean I was hoping you weren't alone this morning. To tell you the truth, I just couldn't decide what I wanted this morning. Come on, eat with me; we'll save the leftovers for tomorrow morning." She reached out as the tray settled onto a nearby table and two mugs of hot, fresh coffee floated to them. "Now, spill I want details. How was it, what did you talk about, how many times did he kiss you?"

Ororo laughed as she sipped her coffee not really surprised at the eager tone in her voice. Jean had been that way for as long as Ororo had known her; they'd had many similar conversations the morning after a first date. "Really Jean; what childish impulse could possibly possess you to believe I would be the type to kiss and tell?"

Jean nearly choked on her sip of coffee, the urge to laugh nearly undoing her at the moment she was forced to swallow. "Really 'Ro, you aren't fooling anyone. You're projecting and I can feel the nearly uncontrollable urge you have to share with me. So start sharing."

Ororo chuckled pleased that her blossoming relationship with Logan was not affecting her long time friendship with Jean. She was not sure if she would have been willing to step away if she had discovered that Jean had indeed felt something negative.

Perhaps before their first date she would have been willing to step away; after all her friendship with Jean was a great deal more important to her than the possibility of a relationship with Logan, or anyone else for that matter. But not now; not after she had discovered a new and unexpected side to Logan; a side that she was very sure that even he was unaware of. She needed time to explore that side and understand just why she brought it out of him. And more importantly, why that side of him drew her to him, like a moth to a flame.

Thankfully, she and Jean had been friends a long time and Ororo knew her well enough to know that Jean would likely never make such a demand of her in the first place. Jean was often brutally honest, often telling the truth of her feelings when deep inside one would hope that she would tell a little white lie; if she was angry, or hurt or sad, she told you; and if she wanted you to be happy she meant it.

But Jean was not petty; she had never made demands upon their friendship that Ororo was not prepared to deal with and accept as the normal course of that friendship. So she had no real fear that Jean was hiding her true feelings or even lying to save Ororo's peace of mind; still it gave her a moment of thought to wonder how she might have reacted to a "what if" situation.

"It was a lovely evening Jean, despite the interruptions." As the two of them ate, she told her quickly about the course of their evening ending with the impromptu picnic dinner in the greenhouse.

Jean of course wanted to know a great deal more. "Did he kiss you good night? Was he a gentleman or did you have to make him step back?"

Ororo laughed at the barrage of question fired at her; most of which she knew that Jean most likely already knew the answers to. "I had no idea that you were so interested in my love life."

Jean laughed but rolled her eyes. "Come on Ororo, we both know you've led a quiet and celibate life these past few years. Tell me that you're on your way to breaking that celibacy."

Ororo finished her breakfast, mulling over a second cup of coffee as she rolled her eyes at Jean. "Really Jean, you should know me better than that. I do not make it a habit of just jumping into bed with every man I find attractive."

Jean nodded as she watched the empty dishes stack onto the tray, driven to do so by her will and abilities. "No, you don't. But then again, none of them have been quite Logan's caliber either."

Ororo arched a delicate, white brow at her friend "And what caliber would that be?"

Jean wiggled her eyebrows appreciatively as she replied. "Rough and ready sex machines."

Ororo chuckled even as she worked up a properly indignant tone. "Jean! What would Scott say if he were here?"

She shrugged. "Hey, I'm spoken for not blind."

Ororo shook her head as she took a sip of her coffee, thinking back on the heated look in Logan's eyes. The look that she had felt on her even when she had not been looking at him directly; the look that caressed her skin like the gentle hand of a lover.

"No you are not; although, I do not think being blind would truly help either."

Jean floated her own cup toward the tray, and stood wondering just how they could have managed to eat so much. "So are you going out with him again?"

Ororo's voice was quiet and thoughtful. "Yes, I am. I truly enjoy his company."

Jean smiled warmly, seemingly pleased. "Good; maybe after a few dates we can do a double date. We could drag Hank out of his lab and get him and Remy to watch the children."

"We shall see."

"Well, I'll leave you to your pleasant thoughts then. But don't stay in bed all day or the students really will start talking. Oh, and tonight we're going to start the discussion of the holidays."

Ororo resisted the urge to roll her eyes; they had this conversation every year; and nearly every year was the same. Last minute plans pulled nearly everyone but her away from the mansion. She had long ago found a new family in her fellow X-men when she came to live at the mansion. But sometimes they forgot that she was family as well. Despite the spirit behind the celebrations, Ororo still felt somewhat undecided on how she felt about them. As a result she often avoided celebrating them. She had not expected that to change this year.

She groaned loudly. "Must we?"

"Yes, we're going to be having a few more than last year."

Last year had been one of the few years that had seen others staying at the mansion with her. Remy and Hank of course, but she had been surprised when Scott and Jean and the professor stayed as well.

"Besides, if we don't do this, Remy might end up cooking again. Do you want to be able to eat the food or do you want to have third degree burns in your mouth like last year?"

Ororo chuckled as memories of last year's dinner floated to the forefront of her mind. She had not realized that Scott could chug that much water without coming up for air; or that Hank's fur color could be changed by simply getting him to imbibe large amounts of spicy food.

Of course, the man had then felt the need to spend the next week trying to find a way to change it back. But by the time he had discovered it, his fur had been well on its way back to its normal brilliant blue hue.

"You forget that I am quite acclimated to Remy's cooking; I happened to like his gumbo last year; perhaps if everyone had iron stomachs. However, in the interest of keeping the peace and preserving the mouths and digestive tracts of all present, I believe I shall volunteer to cook this year. I can keep Remy out of the kitchen better than you."

"Deal; but I would like to get a dinner list together so we can decide what to serve. That way, when I send Scott to the store, he'll know exactly what we need."

"Poor Scott; I did not think he would volunteer to go shopping again after the fiasco with the old lady and the last can of cranberry sauce. If I did not know any better, from the way he tells it, it might as well have been the last can in all of creation."

"He didn't exactly volunteer; but then I don't plan on stepping into the fray if I can send him in instead. He may be smart enough to think he can avoid it somehow, but I know he's more afraid of me then he is of some old lady's handbag."

Ororo laughed gently at the mental image evoked by Jean's words. "Well then, perhaps we should send Logan with him as reinforcement. Remy can have the van running in the parking lot."

shook her head. "That would be something to see; but I'd hate to send all of them off together, alone. Who knows what they could talk themselves in to? That's all we need is for them to start talking to each other and thinking and getting ideas. They might decide that they're not as afraid of hurting our feelings as we seem to think they are. Or at the very least, convince Scott that he's 'the man' and not as afraid of me as he should be."

"Goddess forbid we cannot have that. Send in Scott then, alone. But make sure you reward him afterwards."

"That's the only reason I keep convincing him to go out for me in the first place."

Ororo laughed as Jean quietly shut the door, leaving her to enjoy the rest of her quiet morning. She lay in bed for a few moments, letting her thoughts wander trying to recapture the magic she had felt that morning upon awakening. But it was no longer the same as it had been and after a few moments, she gave up and decided it was time she began her day.

She stood, walking softly towards the large picture window. Without thought to the outside temperature, she threw it open, as wide as she could. Her mutant power had already told her that the weather outside was mild, if chilly and that the sun was shining brightly. She sighed to herself that it was Saturday and the mild weather would more than likely encourage the children outside to play. She would have loved to discard her pajamas and let the suns soothing warmth touch every inch of her.

Many of the adults within the mansion knew that Ororo was very uninhibited when it came to nudity. After all, she had grown up in Africa and had never been exposed to the severe sense of modesty that most Americans felt necessary to a healthy society. She was accustomed to feeling the elements on her bare skin and relished the intimate connection to the goddess it often afforded her.

And if she was less than discrete with some of the other adults in the mansion, most had learned to simply turn their heads and look the other way. They did not judge her for something basic to her very being. They had long ago learned that for her, nudity had very little to do with sexuality.

But she did make an effort to be discrete around the young students; she understood well the raging hormones of the young men and their nearly idyllic fascination with her as a female of the species. Still, it would have been nice to feel the sun warming her body as she rode the higher air currents, letting them awaken and exhilarate her as she was buffeted by the air around her.

Realizing that riding the winds under the winter sun without a stitch on was not really an option, she decided to take a shower. She gave into the urge to pamper herself that morning and relished the experience, taking her time as she enjoyed the sensation of hot water running over her smooth skin. The pampering continued as she lathered herself with moisturizer and attended to her normal beauty rituals.

As she stepped back into her room to dress, she found herself wondering where Logan had gone off to. She had half expected him to show up at her door at around the same time that Jean had. But an hour had passed since her fabulous breakfast and he had yet to make an appearance. She decided to go looking for him. She dressed quickly suddenly eager to find him and spend the day with him. As she opened her door, she noticed the piece of paper that had been posted to it. She pulled it free wondering why Jean had not mentioned it when she brought her breakfast. She recognized Logan's handwriting as she read her name on it. Puzzled she unfolded it.

_ 'Ro,_

_Sorry, didn't want to wake ya; I kept ya up so late I didn't want you to miss gettin' any sleep. Chuck snagged me early this mornin', just before dawn. He needs me ta go into Canada and bring back another kid. He says it shouldn't take long but I'm expectin' it ta take a couple of days. Sorry darlin'. I really was lookin' forward to movie night tonight. I'll be back as quick as I can. By the way, yer cute when ya snore._

_Logan. _

Ororo reread the note, a flash of indignation coming over her; that he would even suggest that she snored. She smiled slightly as she contemplated revenge; she found herself very eager to get her hands on him. Then the rest of it sank in; the euphoria fading as she folded up the note. She sighed quietly as she did so and wondered just what she was going to do to make the time fly faster.

Ororo knew that the only way to keep her mind from the relatively slow passage of time was to keep herself occupied. So she made an effort to do just that. She spent a few hours in her greenhouse; pruning some of the larger plants, transferring seedlings and pampering some of the more exotic plants as she sang several songs from her African tribal heritage.

Once she'd had her fill of plunging her hands into the soil, she answered an impulse to leap into the sky and spent nearly an hour riding the winds. Diving and dipping and whirling; sometimes simply floating and letting the sun warm her exposed skin. She relished the physical contact with the weather currents around her. When she landed, she was in a much better mood, her sagging spirits having been greatly lifted by such simple things.

The day faded into afternoon and then darkened into night and there was no word from Logan. She had not expected him to have returned so quickly; after all he'd thought it would take a couple of days. But something began to tickle and grow in the back of her mind; it was subtle, starting out as a vague feeling that she could not place. She put aside as simple worry on her part and tried her best to ignore it.

That evening, she decided to still show a couple of the movies that she and Logan had picked out. But she decided to wait until he returned to show him_The Sixth Sense_. As she sat in the living room, watching the children as they in turn watched the movies, she pondered the past week. So much had changed in such a short time; she wondered how a change in their lives could seem so significant and yet still feel as if it was merely an affirmation of what had always been.

It felt, once they admitted to their attraction, as if somehow they had spent nearly all the years they had known each other together in some close and intimate way. Nothing sexual, despite the underlying current of passion and attraction that was between them still the friendship always seemed intimate on a number of levels.

If Ororo could describe it, she would say that they had spent years getting to know each other, understanding each other all the while searching for the one who would complete them, only to discover afterwards that perhaps they completed each other. The thought warmed her heart even as it reawakened the tickling itch she had felt earlier. Ororo frowned slightly, concerned at the sensation she could not place. She decided to go speak with Jean or the professor as soon as the movie had finished and discuss the mission that Logan had been sent on.

* * *

Two more days dawned and passed slowly for Ororo and still no word from Logan. She truly tried to keep busy but after two days even she was unable to hide her worry.

Remy had taken over his self-defense class but he refused to spar with Ororo; when she asked he had simply spouted some verbal nonsense about brothers not hitting their sisters.

Ororo had merely rolled her eyes and sparred with a body bag instead; trying unsuccessfully to pound out her feelings of uncertainty and unrest.

The professor had told her that as far as he could tell, everything was going according to plan. Logan had arrived at an undisclosed location undetected and was beginning the recon work he needed to do to get in and get out with the kid intact.

Ororo knew well how good Logan was at what he did; she had seen it first hand several times; they all had. But she could not quiet the itching sensation that had lodged itself in her brain and would not let her be.

It had not diminished an iota; in fact it had merely intensified as time passed. She could feel the itching beginning to spread from her mind to her body. She felt an overwhelming urge to act; go after him, question Charles further, even force the truth out of him if necessary; so long as she did something. The tickle sang in her very blood, trying to goad her into action; nearly driving her mad. She had nearly reached the breaking point when she heard the professor's mental summons calling all the X-men to meet him in the hangar. Her heart in her throat, she raced down into the bowels of the mansion. Her blood racing as she pushed the fear and panic back down.

_ I am being foolish. The man is indestructible. He can take care of himself. _ She reached the hangar, fear and uncertainty forming a cold ball in the pit of her stomach. She was halfway across the hangar when she saw his head pop into view as he came out of the jet. The others were also approaching the jet or standing around it as she drew a deep breath, a relieved grin appearing on her face.

"Logan." She did not realize she had even spoken until the echo of her voice reached her ears.

He looked up at her and stopped as she ran up to him, nearly throwing herself into his arms. He reached out, drawing her into his strong arms and she shivered slightly with relief that the uneasy sensation in her mind had quieted. He reached up to touch her face gently, a slight grin on his face.

"If I'd known ya'd missed me this much darlin', I'd have left earlier."

She laughed gently at his gentle jibe, embracing him once more relishing the feel of his arms around her.

There were several surprised looks that passed between several other members of the team; only Scott and Jean seemed completely unfazed. Somehow it seemed that some of the other members had not heard any of the rumors that had been flying around the school about the two of them. If they had ever hoped to keep their relationship secret from the other members of the team, they had just failed miserably.

"Logan, I take it the mission was a success."

Logan reluctantly released Ororo, keeping a firm grip on her hand as he turned to the professor, who had just arrived. He half turned and gestured at someone that still remained inside the jet, hidden from view of the others.

He came forward slowly out of the shadow and Ororo's heart nearly broke at the vacant, distant expression in his young face. He was so young, a boy who had seen too much and could not bring himself to forget.

She let go of Logan and reached out to him as he stepped out of the jet. The boy looked at her hand, unsure of what to do. He looked at Logan who nodded subtly. Slowly, he reached out and took her hand as she led him off the jet.

"Welcome home child, welcome home." She said quietly and the professor and Jean stepped forward to take him.

He turned once to stare back at them as he was led away, his eyes curious and uncertain. But Ororo could see trust beginning to grow in them already.

* * *

Things settled down a bit for the rest of the day; Jean and the professor whisked the boy off for treatment; both medical and psychological. Ororo followed Logan into the depths of the mansion to stow his gear and dispose of his uniform. He watched her closely wondering about the public display in the hangar. She was quietly putting some of the equipment away when he came up behind her, touching her gently. She was tense, he could see; more importantly he could smell it on her. She turned her head at his touch, not turning around as she put the last piece of equipment away.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell ya in person bout the mission 'Ro. I was going ta but when I walked in ya were sleepin' so peacefully; I couldn't bring myself ta wake ya up." He winced as she turned and jabbed him in the stomach. He grabbed her hand and held her tight to keep her from hitting him again. "What the hell was that for?"

Her lights danced with mischief. "I do not snore." Her tone indignant as she glared at him.

He couldn't help himself, he laughed uproariously as he held her. Relieved that the tension had begun to leave her, he leaned in and kissed her gently.

She melted against him, the remaining tension simply fading. Several moments later, he pulled away.

"I need ta get outta this uniform darlin'. And I need a shower; I feel pretty gritty."

She smiled gently reaching out for the zipper on his uniform jacket, pulling it down. She had seen Logan wearing very little many times over the years they had known each other. And she had appreciated the view he had provided.

Then the exposure had been innocent, a common place occurrence in the time they spent together as team mates and friends. The goddess knew how many times she had observed him surreptitiously watching her from the tree line as she danced nude in the sky. But this time was different; this time there was an underlying current of attraction running between them. She marveled at the intensity of desire she felt as she drew open his uniform jacket and slid it off him. She ran her elegant hands through his ample chest hair feeling it rise sharply as he drew in a deep breath.

"You feel wonderful to me."

He reached up, taking her hands in his own, kissing her again. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

She touched him again, teasing him.

He shuddered. "Darlin' yer makin' it real hard ta take this slow."

She chuckled as she let her hands drop down to her side. "I never noticed how tongue tied you become when aroused."

He chuckled, grabbing a nearby towel and disappearing into the men's shower room before removing the rest of his uniform. He stuck his head out long enough to toss out the rest of his clothes and fix her with a level stare. "Darlin', when the time comes we'll just see how well you'll be able to talk."

She chuckled as she left him to his shower.

* * *

Logan hadn't intended to fall asleep in Ororo's room; he hadn't even intended to lay down on the bed. But he hadn't slept in nearly two days; he hadn't been able to once he'd freed the boy; not when they were trying to escape and running for their lives. And the wounds that he'd taken during the entire mission simply added to the strain. Simply put, he was exhausted, both mentally and physically. 

Ororo had seen this easily enough; and thought her welcome home had recharged him a great deal; as had a hot meal and a shower, it couldn't make up for the lack of the past few days.

And so, he had simply nodded off while they lay together talking quietly. Actually she had been doing all of the talking; he had merely been listening and commenting now and then. As he drifted off, he felt her kiss him softly on the forehead, drawing the covers over him as he slipped under.

The images came slowly, vague and hazy as he slept; evoking emotions and sensations that he had thought well and truly buried. He could feel himself floating in a tank of water, it pressed upon him warm and soothing. Through the haze he could see a mask on his face delivering air to him as he was held under the surface of the water. The images suddenly changed, choppy and incomplete and incoherent as raw emotion assaulted him. He felt pain, unimaginable pain as he thrashed in the water, trying to get out, trying to escape the fiery pain suddenly covering his body. He roared, he screamed, he raged as he fought against the restraints that held him.

He could see vague silhouettes of figures above him, beyond the wall of water, watching him, poking him, cutting him, hurting him. Something settled heavily into his body, the pain fading from that part and moving upwards as he screamed and raged. Suddenly the pain was gone but still he screamed. The man had given way to the beast and in his bestial rage he continued to fight, to escape, to free himself from those that caused him pain.

The restraints that held him gave, slowly at first and then snapped. He surged upwards, ripping away the mask as he leaped from the tank. The figures around him scattered in a panic as he came forward, fangs bared, his throat emitting harsh guttural growls.

He lifted a hand and new pain shot up his arms. He looked down to see the weapons that he had been given springing from his very flesh. A fierce light of understanding entered his animal-like eyes as a vague thought from the man within drifted to the surface.

With a fierce cry, he leaped among the figures, slaughtering them where they stood, their screams echoing loud and shrill off the cavern walls around them. A few moments later he stumbled from the carnage, nude, covered in blood, the rage satiated for the moment.

Logan jerked awake suddenly, a low growl on his lips as he felt the beast within press upon his mind. Fighting a sense of panic and the urge to flee, he swallowed the noise and tried to push the beast back down. It went, reluctantly but quietly and a sense of calm came over him once more.

He looked over to see Ororo sleeping next to him, still sleeping; ignorant of the disturbing dream that had just visited him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed , holding his head in his hands as he tried to calm the dark emotions the dream had provoked.

The last time that he'd dreamt of the damned lab, he'd nearly killed Rogue; he'd run her right through before he could stop himself. She'd saved herself by nearly killing him; he still couldn't think too closely about that night without breaking into a cold sweat.

He looked back over his shoulder at 'Ro's sleeping form and felt himself shudder at what could have happened to her in the throes of his terror. He stood quietly and left the room, not wanting to endanger her further if the dream should return. He managed to make it back to his room and into his own bed. Still exhausted and despite the lingering traces of the dream, he fell back into a deep, undisturbed sleep.


	12. Playing With Fire

Summary: Logan left Ororo's bed in the middle of the night after a distrubingly violent dream. Ororo must find a way inside to help him deal with the fear that dream brought on. But just how does she plan on showing him that she trusts him completely?

Author's Note: Hello All! My short, all of two days, vacation from work produced this. I hope you all enjoy! As always please R & R.

* * *

The next morning, he awoke early. Lying in his bed, he could still feel shades of the dream shadowing his mind, just beyond conscious reach. He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands as he struggled to push it aside; back into the dark recesses where it came from. But it lingered, refusing to fade. Deciding that he needed some time for quiet reflection, he dressed quickly leaving the mansion quietly and disappeared into the woods that surrounded the mansion grounds. The leaves had long ago fallen from the trees leaving behind drab and bare skeletal remains of the trees they had once covered. He stood beneath them, listening to the wind as it flowed through the branches. 

It was here that he so often found peace; here that he could often forget and let go of the rage that seemed so prominent in his life; here that he could let the beast within roam free without the chance of hurting someone. But there was no peace for him today; no escape from the dark emotions that the nightmare had resurrected. It wasn't the images of the nightmare or even the nightmare itself that so terrified him; the dreams had always been with him and he had learned to live with them after a fashion. What terrified him, causing him to leave Ororo in the middle of the night was the fear that he might hurt her or someone else he cared about. His near miss with Rogue had been a miracle, plain and simple; the memory of which still managed to turn his blood to ice.

He sat in the woods for several hours trying to sort out his dark, menacing thoughts. He had promised Jean that he would never hurt her; either physically or emotionally; he had thought that would be enough. But he had never thought that he could hurt her like this; never thought that she was at risk simply because of the rage he carried inside. So the question for him became whether he should continue to build a relationship between them, knowing of the danger, or if he should back away now, before he had the opportunity to seriously hurt her. Sitting in the woods, the wind blowing around him, time passing as the sun moved across the sky, he had no idea how to even answer that.

* * *

_Ororo _

The summons was gentle, almost a mental whisper as Ororo opened her eyes, looking around. Her eyes fell on the empty spot on the other side of the bed and she scanned the room quickly, looking for Logan.

The summons came again. _Ororo? Are you awake _

She sighed recognizing the professor's gentle mental touch as she stood, stretching the sleep from her bed-stiffened muscles. _I am here Charles. _

There was a touch of regret to his touch as he continued on. _I apologize for disturbing you this morning Ororo, but we need some help with the young man Logan brought to us yesterday. _

She felt concern touch her as she grabbed her robe, hurrying from the room. _Where is he? _

Charles told her and retreated from her mind, waiting for her to come to them.

A few moments later, Ororo breezed into the medical bay, completely calm and composed amidst a scene of total chaos. The young mutant stood on one side of the room, his form altered considerably since she had last seen him, and the others stood nearest the door, watching him closely. Ororo stepped further into the room, her eyes only for the boy who stood before her, his body covered in heavy spikes and his hands ending in deadly claws. She stepped forward, holding out her hand.

"I will not hurt you child. Do you remember me from yesterday?" She watched as the claws slowly receded and the spikes on his body began to shrink as her voice reached him. "I am Ororo; I am a teacher here at the school. Dr. McCoy and Dr. Grey would very much like to examine you to ensure that you are not hurt. Will you let them do so?"

There was a ripple through his body and the young man stood as she had seen him the day before. He reached out, taking her hand in his as he stared at her with his strangely wise eyes. "You'll stay?" His voice was soft and behind her Jean gasped in astonishment. From her reaction, this was the first time they had heard him speak since his arrival.

Ororo smiled at him softly, leading him forward to the table. "I will stay."

From that moment on, there were no interruptions. He not only let Hank approach him to help him onto the examining table, but he also let the examination continue without a single protest.

Ororo sat next to him talking to him about unimportant things and about the other students. She talked about her greenhouse, her motorcycle rides with Logan, even the self defense class Logan taught. She talked about the beautiful grounds that the school sat upon and all the freedoms he would now enjoy as a student. He never once took his eyes off of her. Ororo felt that he was reaching out, trying to find someone to cling to in a world that seemed a complete upheaval to him.

Jean agreed and suggested that she spend time with him everyday unless the professor said otherwise.

Ororo even led him to his new room; a private one until he settled in and recovered from the obvious trauma that he had endured. She then showed him around the mansion, showing him where hers and Logan's rooms were, telling him that if he ever needed anything in the night to come find either one. After a few hours, she reluctantly left him with the professor who was then ready to begin the arduous task of undoing the trauma he had faced at the hands of his tormentors. She walked away from the professor's study her mind once again turning to the puzzle of where Logan had gotten off to.

She walked down the hall towards her class room to begin her daily lesson. The chaos of the morning, namely the need for Ororo to remain in the medical bay for a few hours had interrupted her daily workout with Logan. Not that she had been able to locate him in the first place; Remy had been teaching Logan's class that morning at the professor's request. And she had been forced to give up searching to teach her morning class.

The rest of the day passed rather quickly for her; she was kept busy with the students and their assignments. She had little time to think of Logan; though thoughts of him still managed to catch her unawares. She was sitting quietly in her class room, grading some of the assignments that the students had handed in earlier, when the professor once again contacted her.

_X-men, please report to the conference room. There is something important that we must discuss. _ She sighed, dropping her pen and rubbing her eyes. For some reason, the serious and somber tone in the professor's voice did not bode well

* * *

Ororo walked into the conference room, seeing that nearly everyone had arrived. Logan was also already there, sitting at the table; his face set in firm lines, his eyes focused far off into the distance. Ororo sat next to him 

He turned to her slightly, reaching out to take her hand. He squeezed it firmly in his and she returned the gesture feeling surprise at his public display of affection. He gave no explanation for his disappearance; although given their current surroundings there was no freedom to discuss it.

So, leaving her questions for later, she turned her attention to the professor to see why they had been summoned.

Xavier waited until everyone had arrived and seated themselves at the large table. For the most part, they were all quiet having little or no idea what they had been gathered for.

"I am sure you are all aware that Logan brought a new student to us yesterday. I had originally thought that this case was far simpler in nature and far more easily resolved simply by bringing the young man here. However, after examining him closely, I now realize just how badly traumatized this young man is. In order to help him recover and to bring about a full healing for him, I feel that it is important that all of us understand just what he has been put through." The professor turned to Jean to give them all the particulars of just what state the young man had been in when Logan had brought him back.

"Hank and I spent most of the morning examining Jimmy closely, with Ororo's help that is. We weren't even able to approach him until she came in; he seems to trust her a great deal." Jean turned to Charles. "I asked her to set aside some time every day to spend with him; I think it will go a long way towards building the level of trust necessary for you to help him."

Logan looked up at that statement, looking at Ororo questioningly.

She shrugged and turned her attention back to Jean's explanation.

"Physically, he is remarkably healthy; no sign of disease or deformity; but there is evidence of older, very traumatic wounds. His gift lessens the effects of normal scarring so we have no way of knowing how many times he has been wounded, or even how often. Having said that, we have been able to determine that he has been burned, shot, stabbed several times and has suffered several broken bones."

There were gasps around the table and Ororo felt her heart constrict painfully at the thought of the pain the young man had suffered. Jean went on, her voice clinical even unfeeling as she tried to continue her report.

"The professor and I have also discovered evidence of severe mental and emotional trauma as well. Physically this young man is 15 years old; emotionally he seems stunted. The emotional patterns exhibited consistently by a normal 15 year old are absent in him. He seems immune to images of severe violence and carnage, for lack of a better word. When the professor and I exposed him to those, it elicited the same response as showing him a peaceful nature scene, or a kitten. He is also exhibiting classic signs of post traumatic stress syndrome. If I was given his psychological profile, I would have either thought he was a middle aged psychopath or a military veteran who had served in a major world war."

There were several moments of silence as the last word fell from her lips. The professor looked around the room, studying each of the faces that he had gathered to be part of his elite team. There were mixed emotions on each face; each one of them trying to deal with the horrifying ideal of someone, anyone seeking to harm a child to such a degree. Logan had once again begun to stare off far into the distance.

The professor looked at Beast to continue. "Hank, what can you tell us of the boy's powers?"

Hank cleared his throat, pushing his own anger and disgust aside as he too began his lecture. "He is a very powerful mutant; one who has a remarkable level of control over his gifts."

One of the other X-men spoke up further down the table. "What exactly are his gifts?"

"He is a metamorph.

"Like Mystique?"

Hank nodded. "Yes, but with a marked difference. While Mystique's normal, natural appearance sets her apart as very different from normal human beings, Jimmy appears to be completely normal. His mutation does not manifest itself in his physical form. This is a far cry from what we know of this particular mutation; it nearly always affects the mutant's physical appearance in some way."

Hank became much more excited as he continued on that vein of thought. "This is an astounding discovery; if we had time to study this, we could better understand not only this particular mutation and perhaps others as well. This could lead to all sorts of wonderful discoveries in genetics and the theory of mutation."

The professor cleared his throat delicately, well understanding his excitement. "Hank, if you would return your attention to the point at hand."

"Ah yes, it seems I am far more eager and have placed the cart before the horse has even been born." There were collective chuckles around the table as Hank got back on track. "Back to the boy; his control over his powers is astounding. He can replicate not only people, but simple objects as well. When we tested his ability to replicate people, he showed remarkable skill; even down to fingerprints and retinal patterns. If he is given enough information, he can even replicate scars from older injuries passing nearly every medical scan used for security reasons at present."

Again there was a collective silence around the table as the implications for the use of that particular skill came to mind.

Again the professor spoke up. "Now you all understand my strong desire to bring this boy here. Now you all understand my need to undo what has been done to him. If there is even one mutant who is seen as such a visible threat as this, I cannot fathom what that would mean for our efforts to live in peace on this planet."

"Professor, just what was done to Jimmy?" Ororo's voice was soft but it carried easily in the silent room.

The professor sighed loudly, turning his attention to Logan. "Logan, I believe this is your part of the story."

Logan looked up, seemingly startled at Charles's words. He recovered quickly, clearing his throat as he began. "Chuck grabbed me early Saturday mornin'; just before dawn. He'd gotten word from his government contacts the Canadians had gotten their hands on a powerful mutant and they were worried that it might be a threat. That's exactly what they said 'it'; like he was nothin' more than an object ta them. Bastards. So, I left to pull him out of there. I just had no idea what a damn house of horrors I was willin'ly walkin' into.

"When I got there, it seemed simple enough, do some recon, sneak in, grab the kid and sneak back out. But God, ya can't imagine what I found him in. The kid was in a lab; just like the one they butchered me in. The place was covered in guards and high rankin' government officials. I even overheard a couple a lab techs discussing the damned program. I didn't need ta hear more ta know what they were up ta so I grabbed the kid, trashed the lab and ran.

"Later, on the jet back he told me a little about what'd happened ta him there. He said they were trainin' him, guerilla warfare, various martial arts, stealth tactics and various arms training. They were gonna make him an assassin; controlled by the government, workin' for them. They figured if they started trainin' him young enough, they could ensure that he'd believe what they wanted him ta and he'd follow orders. They thought that he'd be the perfect infiltrator; able to imitate anybody anywhere, right down ta the cellular level. He'd be able to get in and get out undetected; no one could stop this kid. He'd be the most sought after mercenary ever known; he was already well on his way to no longer bein' human.

"He hasn't been with them for very long; maybe a year at most. He said he tried fightin' 'em; like he'd have had any luck at his age. They used torture and drugs to get him to come around to their way of things. Most of the wounds you found were from trainin' exercises; they used live rounds whenever possible to ensure that he'd duck.

"On my way out, I discovered somethin' else; it's what made me trash the lab. I don't know who was doing the research, or even who was responsible for startin' the damn project up again. But the Canadians had nearly rediscovered the adamantium bonding process that was used on me."

There was stunned silence for only a moment and then everyone began speaking at once; the words loud and angered, concerned and frightened as they jumbled around the room.

Through it all, Ororo sat next to Logan, watching him closely.

He seemed, different somehow; subdued, even more withdrawn than normal. He did not look at her; he simply sat in the midst of chaos, his eyes downcast to his reflection on the table.

Ororo suddenly became very concerned. But she was given no opportunity to think on it further before Xavier called the room to silence.

"We are all agreed that this boy is our primary concern, at least for the moment. The news that Logan brings us is disturbing. But until we know more, until I confirm the truth of what he has told me, we should focus on Jimmy. I am deeply disturbed by this choice but for the moment we have stalled the research; that will have to be enough for now. Jean, Hank, I will need to see you before you leave today. The rest of you are dismissed."

The other X-men filed out quickly, still talking quietly about what they had been told.

Ororo and Logan both stood, but Ororo was distracted for a moment as Jean and Hank approached the professor. When she turned back, Logan was gone.

Shocked, she spun around the room, looking for him, more concerned than ever that something was bothering him. But he had quietly slipped from the room without anyone noticing.

* * *

Logan was gone for most of the day; she searched high and low for him, but to no avail. She then sought out the professor and Jean and shared her concerns. They of course were just as concerned as she was and they both sought to locate him. But Logan was a difficult individual to read even at the best of times. Now, when he was emotionally distant and withdrawn into himself, he might as well not exist at all for all that either Jean or the professor could sense him. 

So Ororo waited; waiting for him to come back on his own. But, later that day she stumbled upon him at the edge of the woods near her greenhouse.

Logan turned and watched as Ororo came towards him; he was purposely avoiding her. He told himself that he was doing it because he needed time to sort his head out; told himself that she didn't need to be burdened with the darkness he carried inside himself.

She deserved to be bathed in the light; not defiled by the blackness and blood that made up his past. And deep down, he was afraid that if he shared his fears with her, she would walk away from him. Or worse, decide to stay and end up hurt, or dead because of him

He didn't want to face Ororo with dark thoughts and memories whirling around inside his head. He couldn't explain it but he felt almost, afraid that Ororo might discover his nightmares. As if somehow, being haunted by his bloody past and a mutant experiment gone awry were somehow things to be ashamed of.

So he was avoiding her. But he knew that it wasn't going to last much longer. She knew that something was wrong; she'd known the moment she'd seen him in the conference room that morning; though he'd yet to talk to anyone about it

His instincts, however, never shut down or wavered; and a subtle scent brought him out of his deep thoughts. He turned to watch her approach him. Her graceful movements drawing him from the bloody and vague images that flashed around inside his head. He put his cigar out as she reached him, her eyes full of concern and sympathy.

She reached out and touched his face gently, her hand stroking his cheek as he reached out to embrace her fiercely. She rested her head on his shoulder, draping her arms around him.

For several seconds he simply held her, reveling in the feel of her, in his arms, solid against him. Relishing in the comfort and support she was giving him. He was surprised that she anchored him so firmly, tying him once more to the present with her. He pulled back touching her face gently as she continued to hold him; soothing him.

"You have been avoiding me." It was not a question.

He dropped his hands, feeling her hands falling as well. He ran his hands through his hair as he took a deep breath. "Yeah."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "I needed ta clear my head; get some stuff sorted out."

Her voice was soft and calm; not pressing, not prying. "And did you?"

He leaned against a tree, his profile turned to her; his face sharp angles and deep shadows. His voice was soft and compelling. "Don't know."

Ororo reached out, touching his shoulder as she stood next to him. "Logan, what is bothering you; you have been quiet and withdrawn since this morning."

He turned from her, his gaze going to the silhouette of the rising moon, high in the sky. It was a peaceful image; the fading light of the setting sun giving way to the ethereal light of another heavenly body. "Just leave it be 'Ro." His voice was harsh trying to dissuade her from pressing further.

She ignored him. "But why? If something is bothering you this much, that is all the more reason we should talk about it."

He knew that she wanted him to talk about it. That she wanted him open up and share the experience with her; even if for no other reason than to release the pent up emotions that often built up after traumatic experiences. But, still he resisted.

"Dammit Ororo, I said I don't want ta talk about it." He took several steps away from her; he knew she was only doing what she had always done.

She was trying to help. She must have followed him because he heard her voice directly behind him and he marveled at the anger in her crisp, cultured voice. "You are such a foolish, stubborn man; thinking that somehow by keeping the truth a secret, you are protecting me. How many more times must I tell you that I can take care of myself?"

He turned, pushing his hat back so he could look her completely in the eye. "This ain't about ya 'Ro."

She crossed her arms across her chest, her stance radiating disbelief at that statement. "Now that is strange because from where I am standing, I believe this is very much about me."

Logan said nothing.

Ororo sighed. "I am not here simply because of what might be between us. Logan, we have always been friends; from the first there has always been an understanding between us. Do not shut me out Logan simply because you are afraid."

Logan looked completely indignant at the suggestion. "Who in the hell said I was afraid?"

She jabbed her finger into his chest, seemingly desiring to poke a hole clean through him. "You did, by denying me the truth; by refusing to talk to me about what is bothering you."

This time he raised his hand, pointing an accusing finger at her as he felt his anger rising.

"Look, just where do ya get off tellin' me that I'm afraid of anythin'? Isn't it just possible that maybe this once I might be right?"

She shot him a look he couldn't read, but the scent she broadcasted seemed to show complete certainty. "So you are afraid?"

He shook his head, shrugging at the same time. "No, I just…it's just that…dammit woman, yer messin' with my head."

Ororo threw up her hands in disgust and frustration. Her blues eyes were blazing as she stepped even closer to him. "Then tell me the truth, there must be no lies between us if this relationship is to work. Tell me what is bothering you. Have the nightmares come back?"

Whatever he'd been about to say died on his lips. Shock registered on his face as he wondered just how much she knew or how much she had guessed. "What do ya know bout my nightmares?"

She shrugged. "Enough to know that you are haunted by them. Logan we have been through this before, I would never judge you for what you have done in your past. That is a part of your life I can never, and would never wish to change."

He nodded absently; he knew that; he'd always known that. "I know that."

"Why then do you still insist that I might think badly of you because of your past?"

He looked up at the sky as if imploring the heavens to send him guidance on how to handle the situation. "It ain't like that."

"Well there must be a reason? You did not leave my bed on a lark in the middle of the night."

"It's personal."

"Will you not tell me because you do not trust me?"

"No."

"Do you think I would judge you?

"No."

Ororo lost her hold on her temper and a flash of lighting struck about 100 yards from where they were standing. "Then tell me the truth!"

Logan showed absolutely no reaction to her display of power. Fed up with her pestering, he let go, the words flying out of his mouth to land between them like a land mine. "Because yer not Rogue!"

There were several moments of stunned silence at those harshly spoken words. Logan ran his hands through his hair trying to calm down as Ororo stood there silently waiting for him to explain. He knew how his words sounded and he didn't like it. He was amazed that she even gave him an opportunity to explain in the first place.

"Dammit 'Ro, I'm dangerous. I've killed people and not just in defense of my life. Worse, I get people killed. Everyone around me is in danger; if not from my enemies, than from my own damned, cursed hands."

Ororo reached out, taking his hands in her own. He tried to pull free and she tightened her grip, resisting his efforts. "I am afraid I still do not understand what that has to do with me not being Rogue."

Logan hesitated. He had never shared his fears about that night with anyone; except Rogue. And he knew that she would never mention it. But as he stood there, holding Ororo's hands in his own, he felt a need to simply to let go. He felt a need to tell her, to explain his fears to her. It was very powerful. Looking into her eyes, he realized he no longer wanted to fight it and he simply gave up.

"Dammit 'Ro, I nearly killed her. I had a nightmare and the second she touched me, I attacked her and nearly killed her. The only reason that girl is still breathin' is cause of her mutant powers. I'll be damned if I put ya at risk like that."

She smiled, stepping even closer. "Do you not think that is a decision I should have some say in?"

He tried to step back, put some space between them and what she was trying to do. He was resisting her, trying to withdraw back within himself. "Dammit 'Ro, this ain't like buyin' a car or house together. I could hurt ya, I could kill ya."

There was a flash of anger in her brilliant blue eyes as she dropped his hands and threw her own into the air. "And the sky could fall on my head and the world could end tomorrow. There are a million risks I take every morning simply by choosing to open my eyes and live my life. What is one more? Especially if that risk brings me the greatest joy I have ever known. Logan, I am terrified every day that this thing between us might not work; and if it does not, I might lose one of my best friends. But I still choose to be with you, and take that risk because the happiness it brings me is more than worth it. Are you going to sit there and tell me that you do not feel the same?"

He let her pull him close once more, burying his face in her hair as felt the fear twist his heart again. He reached out, holding her face gently to look directly in her eyes. "I don't want ta hurt ya."

She laughed softly. "Hurt me? Do you not think that avoiding me might also be hurting me?"

"Dammit 'Ro I could never forgive myself if I got ya killed."

She sighed loudly, stepping away from him. A strange light came into her eyes as she stood there watching him closely. "I am going to prove to you that you will never hurt me; I am going to prove to you just how much I trust you and the beast within you."

He was standing on a threshold now; he could feel it. The argument and his brooding had brought the animal within close to the surface. He shook his head, realizing that she had sensed the change in him as well. He was suddenly afraid of just what she was planning on doing. ""Ro ya don't understand what yer doin'."

"I understand very well." Her eyes misted over, and she tilted her head slightly as she listened deeply to the call of nature all around them.

The air had been heavy all day, a storm threatening but never breaking. Logan knew that at that moment, Ororo was reaching out with her powerful mind. He could feel her releasing the storm from its prison.

Around them both, the wind began picking up speed, whipping around the trees, whistling shrilly. There was a bite to it as the sky darkened and small spurts of snow filled the darkness, stark white against the darkening clouds.

Logan stared at Ororo, her white hair whipping around her from the wind, and felt the beast within begin to rise, drawn by the raw surging nature all around him. He fought it; fought for control over the baser part of himself; but still the beast pushed against him.

His body shook with the effort. His feral half was so close to the surface, Logan could feel it pressing against his mind; wanting out, wanting to destroy, to kill to maim; anything to ease the torment inside his soul. But he held on fighting for control. Because she was there. He did not want to hurt her so he fought it, for her

She leaned forward, her voice soft but firm as she whispered in his ear. "Let go Logan. Let go of the rage and frustration. Let go of the hatred and bitterness inside. Let all of it go as best as you know how. Let go of yourself Logan."

Logan shook his head, the man inside nearly swallowed by the beast; his power of speech leaving him quickly as he fought to keep it from getting free. "Don't want to hurt ya."

She smiled even as she lifted from the ground and he felt a small tendril of the breeze caressing his heated face gently. "We both know that I am more than capable of stopping you if I so choose. Come Logan, play in the storm."

Logan could feel it happening, despite his efforts to stop it. He could feel his higher self retreating, pushed aside as the beast awoke and took his place. His thoughts were replaced by sensation and pure emotion. All around him, he could see and feel the storm; there was a need to revel in it, to plunge deep into the forest as it pelted the Earth around him.

He could feel that simple call as if it were in his very blood. He lifted his nose and sniffed deeply and caught a new, even more intriguing scent on the wind. He growled softly and stepped towards her, sniffing the air, drawing in deep breaths of it as he tried to place the smell.

* * *

Ororo stood there watching him in fascination as something within him began to change. If she had not seen it, if had not been watching him so closely, she might have missed the shift inside of him. Even knowing Logan as well as she did would not have helped. The change in him was very subtle 

There were no outward signs, no change in his stance or his posture to indicate anything had changed. But she could feel that something within him was different. The beast within him called to her and she heard an answer from the very depths of her own soul. He awaked the spirit of the Earth Mother within her and she reveled in that. She stared at him directly, meeting his eyes and shivered at what she saw. Logan was no longer there at the moment, the being that looked at her from his steel gray eyes was pure Wolverine.

"Catch me if you can Wolverine." She turned from him and flew off, knowing that he would have no choice, no other desire but to follow her. She had watched him sniffing the breeze; she knew that he was aware that she was there. Now to show him the truth she knew in her heart; that he would never hurt her; no matter what he might think. hr

Behind her, Wolverine stood still a moment longer, smelling the air as he let her fly off. His thoughts were vague unconscious images and sensations often given deeper meaning by the man now locked away inside him. But he knew well that the chase would be a great deal more rewarding if he let her put some more distance between them.

A few moments later, he ran into the woods, scenting the air around him as he went, trying to pinpoint the white haired siren that even then called to him; the song of her scent still resonating in his very blood. After a moment or two, he stopped, growling low in his throat; her scent was everywhere. He couldn't pinpoint her very easily. Deep inside his mind the man laughed at her intelligence even as the beast admired her cunning. He would have to track her as best he could without her scent; but catch her he would; it was simply a matter of time. hr

Ororo held herself still as the tree she crouched in as she watched Wolverine closely. She had been unsure that she could escape his hyper-sensitive senses for very long. But the idea to use the winds to disperse her scent had been sheer genius.

Now, they were on more equal footing; she would escape his grasp until such time as she decided to let herself be caught. But she would also ensure that he would enjoy the chase; just as she was very sure that she was going to enjoy being caught.

She stifled a giggle as she stepped lightly from the tree. She followed his trail closely, flitting from tree to tree as he searched for her; careful to not remain in the open sky long enough to be seen. This was going to be fun. hr

An hour passed as the cat and mouse game continued between them. Twice Ororo let Wolverine see her long enough to entice him on; twice she let him catch a glimpse of her. Enough to be tantalizing and urge him.

She even let him track her for a few moments by her scent. Granted it was a false trail leading him no where near where she really was, still he seemed to be greatly enjoying himself. After nearly an hour, Ororo knew that soon she would have to let him catch her to be able to make her point. While the cold and the heat did not affect her, and normally she did not mind being wet, her clothes and shoes were soaked through and they were getting heavy, making flight a much more precarious proposition.

So, she landed on the forest floor, calming the wind and the storm, even as she sent out a tendril of wind full of her unique smell to draw him to her.

She only had a moment of warning that he had arrived. She could feel the woods around her become impossibly still and silent. She looked around, wondering where he would come from, even as she could feel his eyes on her; watching her, weighing her.

He appeared suddenly off to her left; his heavy body silently parting the branches as he came towards her.

She met his eyes, seeing the hunger she had aroused in him. She stood very still, letting him come to her, never taking her eyes off of him.

He stepped close to her, sniffing closely, letting his nose move across her chest and into the hollow of her throat.

She shivered slightly at the feel of his stubble gently caressing her skin.

He reached out, drawing her closer, holding her tightly as he began to kiss and nip at her neck gently. At her sharply indrawn breath and shaky moan, he pulled back to look deep into her eyes.

Ororo met his gaze wonderingly.

His eyes reflected the wilds from which he drew his name; the frozen tundra of the north, the icy forests and frost covered lakes that he had roamed. In his very glance she could see vast tracks of untamed nature dancing in his wild eyes.

"Mine." He growled softly even as he kissed her lips. "Mine." His kiss was fierce, possessive. Almost as if he were trying to convince himself she was real and prove his claim to her at the same time.

She felt herself pulled under by it, melting against him; any ability or thought of fighting him disappearing under his burning assault.

He caressed her cheek gently, looking once more into her eyes and she watched as the beast retreated and Logan looked out from those eyes once more. He seemed confused for a moment, looking around him in uncertainty. "'Ro? Did I hurt ya?"

She shook her head, smiling gently. "No you did not."

He nearly sagged with relief at her words. "I was so scared I mighta done somethin'."

She reached up to touch his lips, silencing him. She could still feel the need within him, pulsing just below the surface. "Shhh." She reached up to pull his hat off his head and throw it aside. She looked at him, her eyes heavy lidded with the desire she felt. Reaching out, she began undoing the buttons on his shirt. "Now, why don't we finish what you started?"

For a moment, it seemed that he might resist. Then with a lazy grin, his lips met hers, even as he brought his hands up her sides, sliding her shirt up with them.

In a frenzy, the rest of the clothes followed quickly, while above them the stars twinkled silently in the sky; shedding their crisp light onto the lovers below.


	13. The Holidays Are A Comin

Summary: Logan and Ororo deal with the morning after their little romp in the woods and one very stressful holiday dinner

Author's Note: I told myself that I was **not** going to write a holiday chapter; as much as I love the holidays, I often abhor reliving them even in such a round about fashion as a simple story. However, since my own Thanksgiving was a work of one hilarious disaster after another, (and let me tell you, we're still laughing about the eggshell in the pumpkin pie) I thought it might be nice to explore what might be a holiday disaster for a house full of superheroes. So here we go, Logan and Ororo deal with the morning after and one very stressful holiday dinner. Enjoy!

* * *

Logan lay in Ororo's bed, in her secluded attic room, with her head resting upon his bare chest; their limbs tangled familiarly and pleasantly. Their wet clothes had been cheerfully discarded the moment they had entered the room and neither had any desire to lose the feel of such intimate contact. 

There was a comfortable silence between them as they enjoyed sharing the physical intimacy in the aftermath of their lovemaking. The dim noise of the mansion's other younger residents drifted up through the walls and heating ducts; a welcome back drop to what they had just shared.

Logan had his arm draped around her, providing a cushion for her waves of soft hair as he reached around and gently caressed her arm. He looked down at her as she lay quietly, listening to the beat of his heart and his slow measured breaths.

He thought back for a moment on what had passed between them in the woods outside the mansion. Whatever he had expected when Ororo had finally confronted him, it had never occurred to him that she would try what she had. He was amazed at what she had done; moreover he was amazed at his own response.

She had drawn out the Wolverine, using her powers and the wild call of nature to sport with him in the woods in a simple game of cat and mouse. And then, when she had called an end to it, when Logan had felt a true sense of fear at what she had dared to do, the animal had simply receded and he was able to take control once more. Somehow, the situation had been hers to control; she'd had the upper hand and she had played it well.

Although he found himself wondering if perhaps she had been just as caught up in all of it, just as aroused by the chase as he had been; a bystander though he had been. As he stared at her brilliant white hair draped across him, he marveled at the amazing creature he held in his arms.

Just when he thought he understood her, just when he was sure what her reaction to something might be, even after all the years that he had known her, she still managed to surprise him. He knew at that moment, just what a rare gift he had been given simply by knowing her; and how much more precious a gift he had been given just a short time ago.

He reached up to touch her hair, reveling in the soft, silky strands. "I thought we were gonna take this slow."

Ororo chuckled even as she shrugged. She reached out to restlessly trace her finger through his chest hair.

He reached up to grab her hand, stopping her movements. "Darlin', keep that up and we ain't gonna be talkin' again for awhile."

She pushed herself up on her elbows, meeting his relaxed gaze even as she continued to touch him. Soft fleeting touches about his face and chest, a hand run through his hair as they talked. "I truly wanted to take things slow; but sometimes reality bites one in the ass."

Logan raised an eyebrow at her choice of language. "I think I'm rubbing off on you 'Ro."

She smiled, the same mischievous smile that she had worn before she wiped the table with him at nine ball. "Perhaps."

He found that he liked that smile on her; even if it had the effect of making him wary about the next words that were going to come out of her mouth. "What did ya mean by reality?"

"I simply could not resist you any longer. What did Jean call you? Ah yes, a 'rough and ready sex machine' I think was how she put it."

Logan laughed loudly at the mental image of Jean saying just those words.

Ororo chuckled along with him for moment and then her voice became serious. "Do you regret what passed between us?"

He looked at her steadily, his gaze unwavering as he took a deep breath and released it in a rush. "My life is fulla regrets darlin'. But this," he reached out to stroke her face, his touch soft and gentle. "This ain't one of them."

She sighed even as she melted into him, her head falling back onto his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, just under her ear. "There is no turning back any longer, is there?"

He shook his head, surprised that the admission came so easily for him. "No, there ain't. Are ya scared about that?"

She shrugged. "Surprisingly, no. Are you?"

He shook his head. "I'm just terrified that I might hurt ya; whether I mean ta or not."

She chuckled softly and there was silence once more. A few moments later, Logan felt her yawn as her body relaxed and began a slow gentle slide towards some much needed sleep.

He knew that some nights she didn't sleep well; she had always been a bit of a night owl and a morning riser. Often not getting nearly as much sleep as the others in the mansion; and usually not suffering much from the lack either.

But he knew that the Professor's last mission had worried her; more than she had admitted to anyone. And she hadn't slept much in the past several nights for fear that she wouldn't be awake to see him come home.

Add to that the exertion of such strenuous and fine tuned use of her powers, not to mention the intense and passionate bout of lovemaking only an hour ago and he was amazed that she was still conscious.

She snuggled into his chest, completely at peace with him, her eyes suddenly leaden with the desire to sleep.

Logan gazed down at her for several moments as her eyes drifted closed and her breathing began to deepen. He found himself torn between his desire to stay and drift off to sleep with her in his arms, and the desire to protect her and leave her bed before he too fell asleep.

Despite what occurred in the woods between them, and would likely occur again given the passionate natures of the two involved, he didn't completely trust himself. Ororo had made her point well; he knew that he could control himself around her. But once asleep, he wasn't too sure.

Sleep lowered barriers; relaxed the mind; allowed all sorts of things to happen that wouldn't normally occur if one were in complete control. Yet despite that fear, he had no intention of stepping back, or hindering their relationship. And because of that need to continue building a relationship with her, he had every intention of protecting her as much as he was able.

But he found himself unable to tear himself away from her. He too was content simply lying there listening to her breathing as she slid down into the darkness of sleep. Every time his mind spoke up and urged him to leave, he told himself just one more minute.

One more moment to feel her body pressed against his; one more moment to feel the soft curtain of her hair upon his bare arm; one more moment to feel her soft breath rustle through the hair on his chest; just one more moment to simply enjoy her presence. A few moments later the decision was taken from him, he too was asleep.

* * *

Reality intruded on them all too soon the next morning. He was amazed to feel Ororo still in his arms; she had not moved from his side throughout the entire night. Even more astounding, at least in his mind, his night had passed in peace; there had been no nightmares to plague him. 

He reached out to gently untangle her from his arms; he needed to get down to the basement before his morning self defense class. Ororo drew a deep breath and her eyes fluttered open as she smiled at him.

"Morning darlin'." He kissed her lightly.

Ororo began slowly stretching her sleep stiffened muscles. "Good morning Logan. Were you leaving?"

He nodded even as they both began climbing out of bed. "Yeah, I gotta catch a shower and get down ta the workout room; I like beatin' the kids there if I can."

"And I must prepare for my first class; I was far too distracted last night to finish the work." She kissed him once more before walking into the bathroom.

A few seconds later, he heard the water running and he reached for his clothes.

Ororo popped her head out of the bathroom just as he grabbed the doorknob to leave her room. "Logan, I have some time free after our workout. Would you join me for lunch?"

He smiled. "Yeah darlin'. I'll see ya at 11:00." He quietly left the room as Ororo ducked back into the bathroom.

* * *

Logan grabbed a quick shower and headed down to the workout room. He wanted to stretch and catch a light workout before the kids came in. He was surprised to find Remy already there, setting out equipment for the class. He looked up as Logan entered, a thoughtful look upon his face. 

"Logan, Remy is glad to see you here. Remy was getting worried when da Professor asked him to take over da class even after you had come back."

"Thanks Cajun, I just needed to straighten some stuff out; the mission was pretty tough."

For a moment, there was a light of understanding in Remy's eyes.

Logan had never expected that; at least not from him.

"Den Remy shall leave you to your class." He turned to leave and Logan's voice stopped him.

"Hold on a second; I'd like to know what you've been up to with the kids. Stay a few minutes and get me caught up. I'd like to know if anything you tried worked better for any of them."

Remy nodded and began showing Logan some of the equipment he had brought in for the class to work with.

Less than an hour later, the first students began coming into the room.

The students were overjoyed to see Logan returned to his role as their teacher. And he was forced to spend several minutes answering and evading questions about his mission and the rumor that there was a new student at the school.

After the class was over, and the last student had run out the door, Logan stayed behind telling Remy that he'd clean up. But even before the younger mutant had nodded and simply left the room, Logan's mind had begun drifting away, thinking on his next training session with Ororo.

Part of him was worried that what had passed between them in the past few days might change their professional relationship; make it impossible for him to teach her. But that fear waned rapidly as he realized that he not only enjoyed teaching her, she enjoyed being taught by him.

In the past, their friendship had never intruded on her leadership of the team or his decision to follow her orders. He was going to be very sure that their new relationship worked the same way with their professional one.

The other part of him was thinking about the next step in her training. It had come to him sometime before he had fallen asleep the night before; something she had done during their romp in the woods had inspired a thought in him. And it was something that he wanted to explore. He only hoped Ororo would be open to a little experimentation.

He was meditating when she walked in, his senses open but his mind calm and peaceful. He heard the door open, heard her take several steps in and then stop as she caught sight of him.

"Logan, am I disturbing you?"

He took a deep breath, breaking himself from the trance and opened his eyes.

She was standing there, unsure and uncertain and he smiled slightly.

"No darlin'. I was just waiting for ya ta get here and tryin' ta settle my mind. Why don't you start stretchin' and I'll tell ya about what I have planned for today." He stood watching as she did as he suggested.

"Are we jogging first today?"

"No, I got an idea I want to try first. Do you remember what you did last night?"

There was a moment of stunned silence and Ororo began chuckling. "Why do you ask? Are you asking for a repeat performance now?"

Logan shook his head, realizing that the words hadn't come out exactly right and the question was a loaded one. He held up his hands to clarify. "I mean just before I lost myself, before the beast came out. Did ya touch me, with a wisp of breeze?"

"Yes, I did."

"Do ya think that ya could maybe use that same wisp, or tendril but make it harder, sharper even; maybe like a whip?"

"I do not know, I have never tried. Why do you ask Logan?"

"I think that we can use this ta augment what I'm teachin' you now. Despite yer resistance to learn 'Ro, yer a natural at this; yer far beyond the other students; hell yer further along at this point in time than I ever expected ya to be.

"Ya enjoy doin' this; ya enjoy it so much so that I've been seriously considerin' advancin' ya onto weapons trainin' on top of the hand to hand. But I'd also like ta use yer powers if we can. I want ta teach ya ta use anythin' that might give ya an edge in a fight."

Ororo looked thoughtful for several seconds and then simply nodded as she began stretching once more. "All right, I place myself into your hands. What exactly do you have in mind?"

They spent their entire workout together going over what he was trying to do.

She offered points where she could, trying to help him understand how her powers worked and how she consciously controlled them. In the end, she had tried several times to do as he had asked but failed to grasp the technique they were striving for.

After several numerous attempts, Logan called a halt seeing the mental and physical exhaustion she was beginning to suffer in the attempt to master the skill in one day.

Ororo wanted to keep pushing until she had done it at least once. "But I wish to continue."

Logan came up to her, reaching out to squeeze her incredibly stiff shoulders.

She was very tense; stress and concentration causing her neck and shoulders to seize up as she worked. She sighed audibly as he began to restore blood flow with his deft fingers.

"I know, but when ya get this worn out yer gonna start makin' mistakes. I don't want ya ta get hurt because ya lose control at some crucial point."

She reluctantly nodded agreement and he decided that now would be a perfect time to set her down and show her the beginning lessons of meditation.

It would help to clear her mind and sharpen her mental control once more. They sat in the quiet workout room for over twenty minutes, the slow whisper of their breath the only sound.

Afterwards, he could see that she felt completely restored and renewed. He smiled at her renewed mood as, on an impulse, and despite the threat of the students discovering them, she dragged Logan into the shower and spent a good deal of time sharing her good mood with him.

* * *

After their shower, they headed to the kitchen for lunch. Their voices were low as they talked and laughed together as they walked into the room.

Logan lightly brushed her back with his hand as she headed to table. He smiled as he watched her sit, and he then headed to the fridge

"What do ya feel like?" He caught Ororo shaking her head out of the corner of his eye. He could feel the weight of her gaze on him as he stood in the fridge, pondering their options for lunch. He hoped she was enjoying the view.

"A couple of sandwiches would be nice; is there any turkey?"

Logan scowled for a moment as he began pulling out everything and setting it on the counter.

Ororo arched a delicate brow at him. "Is there something wrong with turkey?"

"No, not really. I just think that it's kinda waste to eat it when Thanksgivin' is only two days away. We'll have so much left over that by the beginnin' of next week, everybody here'll be bitchin' bout eatin' it."

She laughed. "It is not the same thing."

He merely grunted and went back to the sandwiches.

A few moments later, Jean and Scott walked into the room. Jean headed to the table and sat next to Ororo as Scott headed to the island to help Logan.

"Need a hand there Logan?"

Logan looked at Scott, one bushy eyebrow raised as he grunted. "I think I can handle this one Scooter; it's not like a major car repair. You and Jean hungry?"

Scott and Jean both nodded.

"Good, why don't ya sit down and I'll get lunch finished."

Scott reached into the fridge to grab something to drink for everyone. As he passed Logan, he took another jab at him. "Just be sure that there are no dents in the sandwiches would ya Logan; I know soft bread can be a pain."

"Funny One Eye. Next ya'll be tellin' me that ya signed up fer open mike night down at the pub."

Scott sat down smiling. "If I had, I'd have gotten plenty of material out of you."

Logan chuckled at that. "But alas, just as in life ya've no idea what's funny and no sense of timin'."

Scott raised his glass in a mock salute as Logan came to the table with a plate full of sandwiches.

Jean turned to Ororo, an amused and somewhat bemused look on her face. "It's so good to see those two really talking for once."

Ororo laughed despite herself as they watched the two men bickering back and forth. "If this is talking, I would really hate to see them at each others throats."

Jean laughed. "Can you imagine? I don't think the house would still be standing."

"Yes and we would discover that the source of the argument was over who had control of the TV." For some reason, both women found this extremely funny and laughed helplessly, tears rolling down their faces.

The two men broke off of their conversation and looked at them in bewilderment. Neither one had heard the conversation that sparked the laughter in the first place.

"What do ya think started that?"

Scott shrugged as he took a bite out of sandwich. "I have no idea but something tells me that we really don't want to know."

"Why do I get the feeling that we're at the center of that?"

"Don't know; maybe given their history, instincts? Experience?"

"We'll go with all of the above."

After a few moments, Jean and Ororo began calming down and started to eat.

During the meal, Ororo brought up the subject of Thanksgiving day and the meal she had volunteered to prepare. "Have you finished the menu for our Thanksgiving feast yet Jean?"

Jean nodded, putting her hand on Scott's arm. "Yes, in fact Scott's going shopping for me after lunch."

Scott turned to Jean, a soft expression on his face as he put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. "Jean, I still think you should come with me; we could make a day of it. Take in a movie, maybe a little dinner some dancing. What do you think?"

Jean smiled at him. "Do all that while the turkey unthaws and the ice cream melts in the trunk of the car? Nice try, but I don't think so sweetheart."

Scott sighed in frustration and turned to Logan, a hopeful expression on his face.

Logan nearly laughed aloud at the thought that other man was looking to him in hopes of some back-up.

"I don't know how this happens every year. Logan, you gotta come with me."

Logan shook his head, his hands held up to ward him off. "I don't think so. You go do the shopping like a good little boy."

"Thanks a bunch smart ass."

Logan winced in approval. "Ouch, that one hurt Scooter. But sometimes ya have ta take one for the team; that's what it means ta be a leader."

Jean chuckled even as Ororo continued on questioning her about the meal. "And while we are on the subject Jean, just what am I cooking?"

Jean shrugged. "Everything but the pies; Marie and Kitty want to help with those."

"Wonderful; shall you be helping me then?"

Jean shook her head. "Oh no, not this year; I'll be keeping an eye on the rest of the hooligans that have decided to stay behind this year."

There was a note of annoyance in Ororo's voice as she spoke. "So I must do this alone?"

Scott piped up next to Jean. "You have my sympathy 'Ro."

Ororo shot him a look that could've bent steel.

Jean elbowed Scott in the ribs. "Really Scott, don't you think you're being a little overdramatic? Besides that's not the only responsibility she has, she has to keep Remy out of the kitchen too."

Scott and Logan both snorted loudly at that revelation.

Logan held up his glass to her, toasting her. "Good luck with that."

Ororo shot Logan the same look and turned her attention back to Jean. "All right, if you are not helping me, who will help me to prepare this grand feast for twenty people?"

Jean gave a chagrined look as she gave Ororo some new info. "Actually, its twenty-one. Kurt has decided to join us this year."

Logan perked up at the news. "The elf is comin'?"

Next to him, Ororo threw her hands up in frustration while the sky outside began to take on an ominous cast.

Logan turned back to her, feeling a built guilty at the pleasure he'd felt at the news that their team member would be joining them. He knew that normally Ororo too would have been pleased that Kurt, aka Nightcrawler, had decided to join them for the holidays. After all, they had not seen him in a long time. Normally he spent the time in quiet contemplation in the monastery with the other monks. But now, having been told that she was preparing food for such a large number of people alone, she was understandably annoyed.

"Wonderful, just how in the Goddess's name am I going to prepare all of this food alone."

Suddenly, three pairs of eyes turned to Logan. He stopped chewing as he looked at all of them. He suddenly felt like somehow, he'd been backed into a corner without even realizing it. "Why do I get the feeling that you've been planning this since I got back?" He focused on Ororo, knowing from his previous experiences with her that she was probably responsible.

"Really Logan, you are far too paranoid."

He snorted. "Not paranoid enough if I walked into this kitchen on my own."

She touched his arm gently, a sparkle in her eyes that he couldn't quite place, and he couldn't ignore. "I really could use your help; besides you will be eating too. It is only fair that you should contribute."

He didn't know how she did it, but he could feel an urge to give in. He gave one last ditch effort to get out of it. "But I'll miss the game." The words sounded trite and childish even to him.

Ororo, knowing that she had won, simply smiled.

Scott too took perverse joy in Logan's misery and managed to slip in one final parting jab. "Ouch Logan, that one hurt. But I guess that sometimes you have to take one for the team; that's what it means to be in a relationship."

Logan growled softly at him promising himself retribution as soon as he could figure out a way to get away with maiming the man.

* * *

The two days passed in relative peace and quiet for the school. Students finished their final classes that afternoon. The exodus from the school began that very night as the students who had families, or those who chose to spend the holiday elsewhere, began leaving the mansion. 

A feeling of peace and solitude settled over the mansion and the few residents that had decided to remain behind. Most of the adult members of the team were there, Hank, the Professor, Remy, Scott, Jean and Logan among them. Even Kurt had returned to spend the special day with his second family. There were a few students as well; Kitty, Rogue and Bobby being among them.

There was a great sense of contentment throughout the mansion and in most of the residents. For many of them, the mansion was the closest thing they had ever had to a home; the people there the closest thing they had ever had to a family; at least a family that accepted them and loved them and didn't condemn them for the fault of nature in their births. And because of those feelings, the Professor had nurtured a special devotion to those days chosen by the world to symbolize hope, caring, compassion and the strength of family.

But for one particular member of the mansion, the holiday had taken on an almost sinister tone. Logan had tried for two days to find a way out of helping Ororo with dinner. Not because he didn't want to help her, he really did want to help her. But given their past associations where he had been wrangled into helping her, she had always found a way to poke fun at him.

He didn't think this time was going to be any different; and for Logan Thursday arrived far too quickly. His suspicions, it turned out, were well founded. "'Ro, just answer one question for me would ya?" They were in the kitchen working side by side on dinner.

"And what would that be Logan?" She failed to hide her smirk as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

He glowered at her. "How the hell do you manage to talk me into shit like this?"

"Logan, language." She admonished him but there was no fire behind it.

He stopped working to look at her dead on, trying to get her to react. "No, really I mean it. I don't know how ao it. First it was workin' in the greenhouse, than it was plantin' flowers around the mansion and there was that damned ridiculous costume ya got me into fer Halloween; now this. You make it sound so reasonable, 'I have a small request Logan'. Then, before I can even think about escape, ya spring it on me. Where does it end?"

She did stop working, reaching over to kiss him softly on the forehead as he stood next to her. "The sooner you realize that I have you under my complete control, the sooner the humiliation will end."

He was perplexed that somehow, she had managed to get the best of him again. And this time he had walked into the whole situation with eyes wide open. He snarled resisting the urge to drag her from the room and prove to her again who was in control. "Somehow I seriously doubt that. Ya love seeing me in these kinds of situations." The smirk returned even as he returned to the work before him.

"What kinds of situations are you referring to exactly?" Her voice was innocent but he knew the truth. The woman was as devious as they came.

"The kind where you get to see me acting completely out of character."

Ororo's arms swept around them, taking in the entire kitchen and the scope of controlled chaos that covered nearly every available space. "Come now Logan, surely there is nothing wrong with helping me make a meal for our friends and teammates. After all, this is a special holiday; especially for all of us."

Logan knew her well enough that she was trying to distract him from the point of his argument; but he wouldn't be swayed. "No, there ain't but did ya really have ta insist that I wear this damn apron. I swear if Gumbo says one more word, I'll take him outside and show him what it really means to 'kiss the cook'!"

Ororo couldn't hold it in any longer and began laughing. She dropped her voice a notch, meaning for her comment to be for his ears alone. "I think you look sexy."

He was not convinced. "And I think I look like an ass."

She looked behind him, patting his rear end gently. "But I like your ass."

He simply stared at her, enjoying both her comment and her actions. "Funny. Keep that up and you'll be lucky if I don't take ya downstairs to lay yer ass on the matt a few more times today."

She chuckled again just as Remy came back into the kitchen, Rogue and Kitty right behind him. "Logan, you are such a flirt."

He smiled at her, a devilish smile that promised retribution as soon as he could get her alone."I try."

They ceased their banter and turned their attention to the new arrivals, conning them into helping with dinner.

* * *

A few hours later, the turkey nearly done, the table beautifully set, with the others enjoying the game in the TV room, Ororo and Logan sat in the kitchen together enjoying a stolen moment of quiet in a morning that had been surprisingly chaotic. Logan stood behind Ororo, massaging her shoulders as she rested her head against him, relishing the contact between them. 

"I had forgotten why I stopped volunteering to cook a few years ago. But it is all rushing back to me now."

Logan chuckled as he kneaded her stiff muscles gently. Up until a few moments ago, the kitchen had seemed like a madhouse with people wandering in and out, looking for a snack, talking for a few moments and then wandering back out.

They had about a half an hour until the chaos began all over again as the final touches were put on the side dishes and the turkey was pulled from the oven. But for now all was quiet and Logan intended to make the most of it.

He finished the massage, feeling the last of the tension leaving her and took a seat next to her at the table. He reached out and gently pushed a wayward tendril of hair from her face as she sighed.

"I wanted to thank you for your help; I could not have done this without you."

Logan couldn't resist and continued to stroke her face softly. "Yeah ya could've. Ya just would've ended up 'the first person who walked through that door with a minor complaint."

She chuckled as he got up to get her a glass of cold water. She accepted it gratefully.

"'Ro, if ya don't mind my askin', why exactly did ya volunteer to do this if ya knew how much stress it would cause?"

She sighed. "It seemed the best way to keep Remy out of the kitchen; although now that I have thought about it I think I should have let him cook. I would have gotten great enjoyment out of it; both from the meal and everyone's reaction to the food."

Logan chuckled as Ororo told him of what had happened last year. "It must've been somethin' ta see Scott with tears rolling down his face."

Ororo chuckled at the memory of last year's holiday gone very, very wrong. "I must admit that was quite funny; but the next day when Hank woke up and saw what had happened to his fur, he very nearly screamed the mansion to the ground. We of course thought something was very wrong and stormed into his room. He was not happy about that."

Logan chuckled as the timer for the turkey went off. He stood, Ororo close behind him and the chaos began anew.

This time they did wrangle others to help them; with the threat of withholding food if they refused. In a few moments the table was laden with food and everyone waited in suspense for the turkey to arrive.

Ororo and Logan were cleaning up a bit, letting the turkey set a bit when Rogue and Remy walked into the room.

"I need to tell y'all something." Before she could continue speaking, Remy grabbed her arm gently and began speaking to her in a soft voice, pulling her away from the two of them.

Rogue's answer was angered but just as hushed and, with the noise of the kitchen and the house around them, Logan couldn't make out what they were saying.

"I do believe they are having an argument."

Logan nodded as he continued cleaning. "Looks that way." He watched the young couple out of the corner of his eye, noticing Rogue growing a bit more agitated. But he had no chance to ponder just what could have upset her so.

Ororo asked for his help to begin carving the turkey. He stepped over to the bird, took the carving knife out of her hand and prepared to make the first slice.

Rogue who had seemingly finished arguing with Remy caught his movement out of the corner of her eye and turned quickly, her arm outstretched as she yelled loudly just as the knife touched the turkey.

"No, Logan, Storm don't…" there was a soft wmphff as the turkey exploded showering the two of them in shredded meat and bone shards. Rogue stopped, her hand still outstretched taking in the sight before her. "Touch the turkey." She finished lamely, as two pairs of eyes turned to stare in her direction. Despite the murder she could see written plainly in both faces, Rogue couldn't help herself and she started laughing.

As one, Logan and Ororo turned to the look at the other side of the kitchen where Gambit had just been relaxing against the wall.

"Remy!" Their combined shout shook the walls even as a peal of thunder cracked loudly, directly over the mansion.

"'Ro, I'm gonna kill your brother."

"Not if I get to him first Logan."

Remy's head popped into the doorway, an innocent smirk on his face as he took in the sight of Ororo and Logan covered in shredded turkey. "Stormy and Logan not like Remy's wishbone surprise?"

"Here's my surprise Gumbo; how's about I show you where yer wishbone used to be? Right after I rip it out of ya."

"Dat be a good look for you Logan, no?" He turned and fled just as Logan sprinted to the door, Ororo close on his heels.

Behind them Rogue continued laughing even as she pulled out the back up turkey. They had learned the hard way that it paid to have spares on special occasions. Especially since Remy had taken up residence in the mansion.

"Happy Thanksgiving y'all." She called out; and the sounds of crashing furniture, gruff cursing and 'Ro's homemade lighting drifted back to her in the kitchen as she quietly began cleaning up the mess. "Now it's starting to feel like home."


	14. Tragedy Strikes

Summary: After a hectic beginning, Thanksgiving comes to a close. But as the month ends and everyone turns their attention to Christmas, a tragic event strikes the mansion and one of their own.

Author's Note: This came to me awhile ago and I managed to get most of written long before chapter 10. I can't say more without spoiling it, but please, read and enjoy. And I hope that despite the darkness of it all, you all like it.

* * *

After the fiasco in the kitchen with the turkey, the rest of the day was relatively uneventful. There was feasting and good times had by all present and the day ended on a much higher note than it had begun. Jimmy even made an appearance later in the day; he'd been a little unsure about the meal itself and had stayed in his room.

Ororo and Logan made it a point to talk to him and attempt to make him feel welcome; he even met the members of the team that had stayed behind for the holiday.

Kurt too decided to stay for a few days; after all there was no immediate need to return to the monastery and it had been a long time since he'd some time with his surrogate family.

Jean settled him into one of the free rooms and the night continued on as before.

Around midnight, Ororo began to feel the effects of having spent hours on her feet cooking for the gathering. She and Logan had been sitting together listening to the others as they talked and argued while trying to watch a movie together. He felt her shift, letting her head rest against his shoulder even as she let out a large yawn.

"Darlin, yer dead on yer feet. Why don't ya head on up ta bed, I'll be up in a bit." His voice was soft; neither one wanted to announce the change in their relationship to the others just yet; hence the need for him to leave after her.

Ororo nodded without a second's hesitation she stood and headed for the door. "Good night everyone."

There was a chorus of "good nights" and "sleep wells" from the others. A few even yelled out "thanks for the meal".

She waved her hand and walked out the door. She headed towards the stairs slowly, feeling a pleasant wave of fatigue wash over her as she yawned again.

There was no warning as a large arm shot out and grabbed her pushing her against a nearby wall. Before she could even draw in breath to scream, a warm familiar mouth settled against hers.

She sighed even as she relaxed into him. "I thought you were going to be up in a bit."

Logan smiled as they separated. "I managed ta sneak out when everyone was sayin' goodnight ta ya."

Ororo smiled as he stepped away and they walked up the stairs side by side.

Half way up, he slipped one arm around her waist and the other under her legs, scooping her up. He held her close as he climbed the stairs, inhaling her scent as her hair brushed his face.

"Logan, I am fully capable of getting myself up the stairs and into my room." She protested.

He gave her a sly grin even as he continued to carry her. "I know, but this is fun, for both of us. Besides, after the restraint ya showed in sparin' Remy from a justifiable lightnin' strike, well let's just say ya've earned a bit of pamperin'."

She sighed relaxing into his strong, sure embrace, as he continued up to her room.

The weekend passed and brought with it the return of the students and the return to their daily schedules. Their workouts continued as before and they continued to work on Ororo's new skill.

Despite their hectic schedules, they did manage to spend a bit of time alone, watching and arguing over the subtly of movie plots, taking walks around the mansion and Logan was even seen spending some time with her in her greenhouse; though he absolutely refused to help her plant a thing.

The week also saw a prank vendetta begun between Logan and Remy. Logan saw no other choice after the incident with the exploding turkey; he had to get even. So he snuck into Remy's room and spiked the vain younger man's hair gel with blond hair coloring.

It took a while; a few days in fact because it was diluted, but blond streaks began to appear in Remy's hair. Remy of course immediately retaliated. He set delayed charges of kinetic energy in every one of Logan's cigars. They were set to go off when Logan lit them.

Upon seeing his prized cigars going up in flames and fireworks, Logan again vowed revenge and the vendetta was on.

Several more pranks were played out, each one more extravagant than the last until Remy went slightly too far and damaged some property; namely the tires on Logan's prized motorcycle; the same one he'd taken from Scott.

Ororo heard about the incident and lashed into Remy for his childish behavior and demanded that he replace the tires. Having put her brother in his place, she turned her ire on Logan.

"But he had it comin' darlin'. After that thing with the turkey, I had no choice, I had ta get back at Gumbo."

Ororo knew there had been no malice behind anything that was done; but she also knew that Remy saw nothing wrong in blowing up Logan's tires. That was until Ororo pointed out that they could have been riding the bike when the tires blew; that had sobered him a bit.

"Even so Logan, you should not have encouraged him." They were out in her greenhouse and she had her hands buried in the dirt, trying to soothe away the irritation she was feeling.

"Maybe not, but it was kinda fun. I have to admit that cigar thing was damned inspired."

She couldn't help herself and she chuckled as she stood, wiping off her hands. There was a soft noise behind them and Ororo looked past Logan to see Kitty and Rogue standing in the doorway. "What can we do for you girls?"

They came in and stood in front of Ororo, a hopeful look in their eyes. "Ms. Munroe, were hoping that if you weren't busy tonight you might be willing to take us to the mall."

Ororo looked at Logan slightly puzzled. Both girls had their driver's licenses and were more than capable of getting themselves there. "Why do you not just take yourselves?"

They exchanged a look. "Well, we kinda got in trouble with Dr. Grey and we can't leave the grounds without an adult."

Ororo heard Logan chuckle next to her as she suddenly remembered what they had done; something to do with toilet paper and shaving cream and the boys dorm.

Kitty folded her hands, pleading with her. "Please Ms. Munroe. Jean and Scott left a couple of hours ago and Logan says after the last time, he won't take us. How else are we supposed to get our Christmas shopping done if we can't go by ourselves and no one will take us?" Kitty's voice was desperate; from anyone else it would have seemed overly dramatic but from her, it was more than sincere.

Rogue stood next to her, silently pleading for her to agree.

Ororo sighed and she could hear Logan chuckle behind her. She wanted to spend the afternoon with him. But she also knew that a day out shopping with the girls was not something she could easily pass up either. "Logan, would you mind if we postponed this afternoon?"

He had planned a nice dinner, just the two of them; something nice they could do together that she knew she would enjoy. He kissed her cheek, smiling at her. "No problem darlin'. Take the rugrats outta the house before they decide ta bring it down around us."

Ororo smiled at his softly spoken words. "I shall make it up to you. I promise." She spoke just as softly but the heat in her eyes was intense. She watched him swallow the snarl and turn to walk out of the room. She smiled slightly at his reaction to her words. As he left the room, she turned back to Kitty and Rogue.

"So who will be going on this shopping spree?"

* * *

Logan spent his suddenly free afternoon helping Scott to upgrade the danger room. Elbow deep in wiring and electronics, he marveled that not only had he and Scott gotten along, but there seemed to be a bit of a camaraderie developing between them. 

In fact, while Logan enjoyed ribbing him several times, the jabs were without his usually sharp barbs. And Scott took them with unusually good humor. Though Logan still wouldn't call him his buddy, maybe they could get along now that Jean was no longer standing between them.

The job went relatively quickly and they were nearly finished with it when the Professor contacted Logan. "Hey Scooter, I gotta run. Chuck needs ta see me right now."

Scott nodded as he began putting the final panel back in place. "No problem, I can handle this from here. Thanks for the hand Logan."

Logan wondered at the friendly tone in his voice even as he exited the room. Maybe things were getting a great deal better than he thought.

Charles looked up at Logan's arrival. "Logan, I hope that I was not interrupting anything important?"

Logan shrugged as he sat down. "Just helping Cyke with an upgrade in the danger room; nothin' that can't hold for awhile. So what do ya need Chuck?"

Xavier folded his hands thoughtfully as he regarded the other man. "It has come to my attention that you and Ororo have been spending a great deal of time with Jimmy since you brought him back."

Logan nodded. "Yeah, we have been. Ororo asked me ta help when we both realized that he has a lot of trust in me; probably cause I saved him from that hell hole. We thought we should use it ta help him rebuild his life here."

Xavier nodded as he grabbed a file. He wheeled his chair out from behind his desk and handed it to Logan. "I think its working. He's shown a great deal of progress since the two of you began spending time with him. I think that he might be ready to join the other students soon."

Logan opened the folder scanning its contents. "That's good ta here. So why'd ya call me?"

"For two reasons: first I wish for you and Ororo to have complete freedom in the time you spend with this boy. If the two of you have a whim to take him for an ice cream cone, do it. Whatever ordinary activity you can think of, even those he suggests or hints at please do not hesitate to do it with him.

"No one here will stop you or ask what you are doing. I want Jimmy to feel that his life is once again returned to normal. I think this can be done by showing that he has the freedom to do and say what he wants, for now at least. Second, I wish for you to take him on personally as a student."

Logan looked at the professor for several seconds trying to understand just what he was asking. "What do ya mean by personally?"

"This young man has been taught and trained to kill. I fear very much that we can never assume what his reactions to given situations will be. Having said that, I feel that he will benefit a great deal from exposure to you and your efforts to control your own violent tendencies.

"Logan, he trusts you, you can reach him in a way that I am still struggling to do. Somehow, we must reach him and begin to undo some of the damage done to his psyche. I think that you have the best chance of doing that; if he sees the control you exert over yourself, it may be enough to get him to do the same."

Logan seemed thoughtful for several moments, pondering what Charles had said. Logan finally nodded. He knew what it had cost the professor to ask, to admit that he was unable to reach the boy even with his powerful mind. There was no way that he could ignore what needed to be done to help the boy.

"Then it's settled, we'll begin tomorrow whenever is convenient for you."

Logan stood. "I'll grab him after my workout with 'Ro. If that's all ya needed professor, I think I'd like to grab a quick ride on my bike. Ororo should be back with the girls soon; I've been havin' a hard time convincing her that riding in winter is dangerous."

The professor chuckled fondly. "Yes, she can be quite stubborn; if you tell her that something is too dangerous, she will nearly harm herself proving you wrong."

"Yeah, I'm learning that."

"Enjoy your ride Logan."

* * *

Logan sped away from the mansion only moments later; the bike felt strangely empty without Ororo. But he had felt the need to get away from the mansion, even for a few moments. He wandered aimlessly, unsure of where he really wanted to go, simply fulfilling the need to move. He ended up several miles away from the mansion, stopping for a bottle of water and a cigar when the professor contacted him again. 

Logan could feel his presence in his mind an instance before his mental voice spoke to him. But Logan could sense a hesitation in his words.

_ Logan _

He took a pull on his cigar as he replied, wondering why Charles sounded worried; surely nothing had happened in the few moments that he had been gone. _I thought_ _ya'd give me at least an hour before ya bothered me again. _

There was a delicate pause before Xavier spoke again. _Logan, I need you to meet Remy and I at the hospital; there has been an accident. _

Logan stiffened, his thoughts suddenly racing. In the span of a few seconds, he felt a wave of fear course through him as he realized who was most likely to have been involved._ Ororo, Rogue _

There was a mental shrug. _I do not know Logan; please, meet me at the hospital. _

Logan felt his insides go cold as the words hit him with all the force of a Mac truck. _ Not now, not after I just found her. Please don't take her from me now._ He prayed silently as he dropped his still lit cigar and leapt on his bike. He gunned the engine and took off in a cloud of smoke, tires spinning and squealing loudly at the busy station.

He had to fight the urge to roar in rage and anger as he sped off. Xavier had said they needed to get to the hospital; but he had not said how badly or even _if _ Ororo was hurt. Logan didn't know if that was because he was afraid that she was dying or if she was alright. He so wanted to believe that she was alright. He wasn't sure he could handle it if she wasn't.

* * *

Logan arrived at the hospital, barely resisting the urge to simply dump the bike and race into the building. He sniffed lightly, looking for the scents of Charles or Remy, however faint they might be. When he didn't find them, he guessed that he had most likely beaten them there. 

He ran across the parking lot, nearly getting hit by an ambulance as he rushed into the emergency room. Once inside, he did catch a faint but familiar odor coming from the waiting area. He made directly for it hoping to find some answers. "Kitty?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice and then leapt to her feet, throwing herself into his arms. "Logan."

He held her for a moment, comforting her and assuring himself that she was all right. "Where's Ororo?"

There were tears in Kitty's eyes as she shook her head. "I don't know. The doctors wouldn't let me stay with her; they said I had to stay here."

He felt himself grow cold as he remembered who else had gone on the shopping trip. "Where's Rogue?"

Kitty shook her head. "I don't know where any of them are. They took her away too; she was screaming hysterically. I don't know why. They won't tell me anything; they said I wasn't family, that they had to wait for her family to get here."

He reached out, brushing the tears away. "The professor and Remy are on their way, stay here. I'm gonna find Ororo and Rogue."

She nodded and sat back down to wait for the professor and Remy.

Logan walked around, smelling the blood, medicine and death that hung around the place. He growled softly, the scents pulling his feral self closer to the surface in answer to the perceived threat.

The scents were cloying and heavy, saturating every inch of the enclosed space; he couldn't smell Ororo enough to locate her. And every second that passed pushed him closer and closer to the brink as he searched for her.

He could feel the animal within itching to get free; he found himself resisting the urge to howl. In frustration, he grabbed the nearest doctor startling the man as he nearly shouted at him. "Where's Ororo Munroe? She was brought in about thirty minutes ago, she was in a car accident with a group of teenagers."

There was fear in the doctor's eyes and Logan struggled to control himself. He reached out, taking hold of his anger and fear and shoved it back down inside himself. He could feel the beast receding a bit as the turbulent emotions were forced down.

He could see a calm mask come over the doctor's face and the smell of his fear receded. He reached out to touch Logan's arm lightly. "Sir, what does she look like?"

Logan felt a wave of empathy and patience in that hand and the beast within receded even further. But it still prowled just below the surface, waiting. "Dark skin, blue eyes, white hair, tall and slender."

The doctor nodded. He turned, leading the way to another area where there were several curtained beds. "She's over this way getting stitched up."

Logan tried to force the panic down as he pondered just what she might be having stitched up. "Is she okay?"

The doctor nodded. "She suffered a minor concussion, some bumps and bruises and a moderate scalp laceration. She should be fine. She just needs rest and peace and quiet."

The doctor led him to a curtained area as he spoke.

Logan felt a wave of relief flood him as he realized that she wasn't seriously hurt.

The doctor pulled aside the curtain just as the doctor attending her put in the final stitch.

"'Ro?" His voice was hoarse and soft, his eyes taking in the sight of her sitting on the gurney, looking slightly disheveled and very tired.

Ororo turned at his voice, a look of relief flashing across her face. Tears of relief shone in her eyes as she reached out to him. "Logan, thank the goddess."

He stepped forward, taking her face gently in his hands, inspecting the scalp wound she had received. "'Ro baby are ya okay?"

She nodded, closing her eyes as she swayed slightly on the gurney. The concussion appeared to be causing her some dizziness and a minor headache.

He reached out, drawing her into his arms, feeling her bury her face into his chest. He buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply, drawing in her scent; assuring himself that she was really alive and well.

Her arms held him tight; almost as if she were afraid to let him go or if she feared that he might simply disappear the moment she let go. After a few moments, he pulled back. He could see the tears in her eyes as he gently touched her face. "I thought for a minute I'd lost you."

She smiled slightly at the tenderness in his voice. "But you did not."

"No I didn't." He released her reluctantly as the doctor began dressing the laceration he had just stitched closed.

When that was finished, Ororo turned to the other doctor, concern written all over her face. "Where are the children who were with me?"

"Ms. Munroe, I don't quite know how to tell you this, but of the passengers that were brought in with you, one didn't survive."

Ororo gasped and Logan embraced her firmly, trying to lend her his strength as she bowed slightly under the grief.

"Kitty's all right. I just saw her in the waitin' room, I told her ta wait for Charles and Remy."

Ororo nodded even as she realized that there were still two people unaccounted for. "What about Jennifer and Marie."

The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry but I can't answer that; all I know is one of them didn't make it."

Logan felt Ororo stiffen in his arms, fighting to hold back the sobs, desperate not to lose control of her emotions or her powers. Enraged he reached out and grabbed the doctor by his white coat, dragging him forward and off his feet as he snarled at him. "Listen bub, we're the only family those girls have got. So ya'd better find out just what happened ta them, and I mean now."

The doctor sputtered and Logan fought the urge to unsheathe his claws. Dimly, he felt the professor's presence behind him a moment before he heard him speak, both out loud and in his mind.

"Logan, release him."

Pushing his rage aside with obvious effort, Logan slowly released the man.

The doctor stepped back and turned his attention to the distinguished gentleman that had suddenly appeared behind the two mutants in front of him.

Xavier rolled his wheelchair closer. "My apologies doctor, but we are all very worried about the children that were with Ms. Munroe. Please tell us where they are; we would like to take them home."

The doctor turned his attention to the two men who had just appeared. "You are their guardian?"

Xavier nodded, and Remy handed the doctor the documents he had been carrying. "Yes, they both attend my private school. I have temporary guardianship of them during the school year as a precaution."

"Then please, come with me and we'll discuss what has happened."

Logan stepped forward, meaning to go with them but a quick look from Xavier stopped him.

"Logan, stay with Ororo. Jean came with me and is comforting Kitty out in the waiting room. I will call for you in a moment."

Logan paced back and forth for a moment, not pleased with his words.

Ororo reached out to touch his arm, stopping him in mid stride.

He turned to her, a feeling of calm washing over him as he saw the same concern reflected in her eyes as well. He grabbed her hand, turning to watch the doctor and the professor as they conversed several feet away.

The doctor talked for several moments, with Xavier asking a few questions. Suddenly Logan saw the professor slump slightly in his chair as he touched his hand to his head in obvious grief.

Logan rushed over to him, kneeling next to his wheelchair. "Professor?"

Xavier turned to him, naked grief on his proud face. "Logan…its Rogue."

Logan felt a fresh wave of panic building as he grabbed Charles's arm. "Chuck, where is she?"

* * *

Logan stood outside the darkened room, pondering the small still form lying on the bed. After talking with Xavier and Ororo, he managed to get to the truth of the accident. They had been coming back from the mall; their shopping done and everyone in high spirits as they talked and sang in the car. 

Ororo said that the other driver had been drinking and had run a red light. Kitty had yelled a warning and Ororo managed to put a buffer of air between the two cars, trying to absorb some of the impact.

It was the only reason that she was still alive with only minor injuries instead of in the ICU or, even worse, dead. Logan hadn't been aware that she possessed that kind of control. But sometimes desperation lent strength.

The buffer had helped but hadn't stopped the oncoming car from hitting them and causing some damage.

Kitty had been in the front seat and Rogue and Jennifer had been in the back. Kitty managed to phase herself out of the car and escape any injury. The others however had been unable to escape.

Jennifer hadn't been wearing her seatbelt and upon impact, was thrown into Rogue, knocking them both out. At first, no one realized what had happened as somehow, during the crash Jennifer came into contact with Rogue's bare skin. Then Rogue had come to and begun screaming in agony.

When the paramedics had gotten everyone out of the car, they realized that Jennifer was dead. They thought the accident was responsible, not realizing the truth that Logan and the professor were only too aware of. Rogue's mutant power had unintentionally killed her.

Logan quietly opened the door to Rogue's room; the doctors had been forced to sedate her after the accident and she'd been put in a private room to rest. The room was dimly lit, but Logan could easily make out Marie's small still form under the blankets.

He walked up to the bed, his heart aching at the bruises and lacerations he could see on her arms and face. He sat on the edge of her bed, and she stirred in her sleep. He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her face as he thought deeply on what had happened.

He had promised to protect her; had promised himself and her that he would try and keep her from harm. He'd been able to keep that promise to a large extent; but nothing could have prepared him for this.

She was always so careful around others when it came to her power. She was so frightened of hurting someone.

But an accident with a freak twist that no one could have foreseen had undone both her caution and his promise. He wondered if any of them would ever have normal or even semi-normal lives. He carefully wrapped her small hand in the sheet and took it in his own, letting her know that he was there.

Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him for several seconds without really seeing him.

"Hey kid."

"Logan?"

"Yeah, how ya feelin'?"

She shrugged even as the tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Hey, no waterworks now. You're going to be fine; you'll be back to driving me and Remy crazy in about a week."

She pulled her hand away as she began to sob quietly.

Logan reached for her and she shied away.

"Don't touch me! Ah'm too dangerous. Ah killed her."

Ignoring her protests, Logan wrapped her in a blanket from the foot of her bed and pulled her into his arms as she began to cry raggedly on his shoulder. "We'll get through this Rogue, I promise. I'll be here as long as ya need me; I ain't goin' nowhere."

* * *

It was a somber and silent group that returned to the mansion several hours later. Xavier had managed to get Rogue discharged; as her legal guardian he had pulled a few strings and told the doctor that he could monitor her care at the school. Added to that was the fact that the doctor was a bit uncomfortable with her ability and it was relatively easy to bring her home. 

Ororo sat in the back of the van, in silence, her eyes closed to stop the nausea she was feeling from the concussion. Logan sat next to her, holding her close and whispering to her every once in awhile.

Remy had taken over the job of comforting Rogue, and he sat in front of them whispering to her in broken Creole French. His arm around her shoulder, holding her close against his side, her head resting on his shoulder.

Kitty was the only one not hurt from the accident but she too was quiet; shaken deeply by what had happened. She sat next to Jean, resting her head against the window as the older woman held her hand in sympathy.

Jennifer was still at the hospital awaiting the arrival of her parents to make the final arrangements.

When they arrived at the school, Hank and Scott were waiting for them. Jean walked up to the mansion with her arm around Kitty's shoulder, hugging Scott as he led the two of them inside.

Hank took Rogue down to the infirmary followed closely by Remy while Logan cared for Ororo. He carried her up the stairs, despite her protests.

"I am able to walk Logan."

"Not with that concussion ya ain't. Or do you want a repeat of when ya tried to get out of bed at the hospital and walk out without help?"

Her faint blush was answer enough for him.

The doctor had ordered a wheelchair be brought to take her out to the hospital.

But she had refused.

Logan understood why.

The woman was stubborn and determined. She wanted to walk out of the hospital under her own power. But it hadn't worked out that way. When she stood up, her legs had given out.

If he hadn't been standing next to her, ready to catch her, she would have added to her injuries. He knew that the incident had injured her pride but she had swallowed it when the doctor again insisted on a wheelchair.

"Will you at least let me walk through the front door? I do not wish to worry the children."

"'Ro, ya've been in a car accident; ya've every right ta be injured. The students will worry whether ya walk in or I carry ya."

He watched her closely when she stiffened slightly in his arms. He dropped his voice, meaning for her to be the only one to hear what he had to say. "Just let me carry ya, please; it makes me feel better."

She reluctantly gave in, resting her head on his shoulder.

He tightened his arms around her as she relaxed, closing her eyes, putting her trust in him to get her safely to her room.

She was nearly asleep before he even reached her room; warm and peaceful in his arms.

He opened her door, placing her on the bed as he reached down to take off her shoes.

She rolled onto her side as he set her shoes down and turned to go. She reached out, grabbing his arm, stopping him from leaving.

He looked at her, seeing that her eyes were open again and filled with sadness.

"Stay with me, until I am asleep?"

He nodded, kissing her gently. He pulled up a chair next to her bed, holding her hand as she slowly drifted off to sleep. When she finally fell asleep, he stood and left the room quietly. He sent out a mental probe to Jean.

_ Jean? _After a moment, he felt her gentle touch in his mind as she answered him.

_ What is it Logan? _

_ I put 'Ro in her room; she's asleep. The doctor said she needs to be checked every couple of hours. Just thought you should know._

_Thanks Logan, Hank and I'll take care of that. The professor would like to see you though._

* * *

"How is she Chuck?" 

The last few hours had seemed to draw something from the gifted man. He sat in his wheel chair, his spine stiff and straight, but his face etched in grief and worry. "Shaken, to say the least. I have done all that I know to lessen the immediate mental trauma but the rest will take time. Of all the things that might have happened, I never thought we would lose a student like this."

"What's the next step?"

Xavier sighed. "We let her recover and we watch her closely. Beyond that I simply don't know."

A new thought occurred to Logan as he remembered something about Rogue's powers. "Ya told me that Rogue not only absorbs someone's life force, she takes their memories, their skills and personalities and their powers. What about Jennifer's personality, will it always be there?"

"I don't know Logan. The only thing we can do at this point is to wait and see what happens to her. But I greatly fear that this absorption is permanent."

"What were Jennifer's powers?"

"Flight and super human strength and endurance."

"God help us."

"If this is indeed permanent, we are going to have to teach her to control these powers and quickly; before she unintentionally hurts someone else."

There was a sense of fear emanating from the older man. Wordlessly, Logan reached out and put his hand on his shoulder.


	15. The Aftermath

Summary: Xavier and the other X-men begin dealing with the aftermath of a tragic accident. How can Logan help Rogue get over her role in the death of another student? Just as he begins to find his feet, he begins to question the strength of his feelings for their weather witch.

Author's Note: I had a very difficult time writing this chapter; I had intended for it to encompass a great deal more but had to split it because of length. The next few chapters will deal with how the students and the X-men begin rebuilding after their taste of tragedy.

* * *

Xavier knew that he should make an announcement about Jennifer as soon as possible; he knew that by delaying he would appear to be avoiding the issue. But he could not seem to help himself. 

He knew that most of the students had an idea that something terrible had happened. After all there had been a rather large crowd to greet them all when they returned from the hospital; and no one could fail to notice Logan carrying Ororo upstairs, the bandage on her head providing a stark contrast with her skin.

Despite the terrible loss that just occurred, Charles found his mind fixating on the memory of Logan carrying Ororo into the mansion and up to her room. A gentle smile flashed across his face as he recalled several school rumors he had heard about the two of them recently. In fact, he could remember feeling some rather intense emotions of relief and concern being projected from both of them; vague but still there and not directed towards Rogue's well being either. In the next instant, the smile faded as harsh reality intruded once more.

He knew why he was hesitating; his reasons were just as selfish as they were altruistic. Above all, he wanted so badly to spare the students the pain that would come in the wake of the accident. These children were faced with so many difficulties and obstacles simply for what they were. How could he call them into the room and add to the burden that so many of them already carried? Worse, how could he answer the questions they were sure to have about what had happened without increasing the guilt Rogue felt in her role in all of it?

Then of course there was the ridiculous desire to keep this pain from the children to prevent them from being faced with a world view that was different than the sheltered and secure one that they were presented with at the school. He wanted to keep them innocent and carefree as long as possible; they ought to be children for awhile yet before they were forced to face the truth of life and the world around them.

He knew that his fears were foolish; nothing could stop what would happen once they knew the truth. All his delays wouldn't change that; there would be grief, there would be pain and there would be tears. But somewhere along the way memories would be shared and tears would turn into laughter as they celebrated her life. There would still be tears but they would not hurt as much as before; and that would be the first step in healing, for all of them.

But the first step in healing could not begin until he had taken the first step by announcing what had happened. He sighed loudly feeling the weight of his own grief settle on him once more. It was time to begin; he closed his eyes and sent out a gentle mental summons to every resident in the mansion, excluding Ororo, Hank and Rogue, to meet with him to discuss something important. Then he sat back to wait as the students began filing into the room.

* * *

Over an hour later, his sad duty done, Xavier sat in his office sharing a much needed cup of soothing tea with the members of his team. It was a tight fit in his office, fitting everyone; even the visiting members. But they managed; some were standing closely together, deriving a sense of comfort from close contact with other members of their surrogate family. 

Everyone was silent for several moments, each lost in their own thoughts about what had happened and how the students had reacted to the news. There had been a profound and shocked silence after he had made the announcement and finished telling the students what had happened.

Then, the tears began to flow. Everyone was too shocked to really ask any intelligent questions and Charles simply excused everyone from classes for the next few days. He wanted to give the students time to come to grips with what had happened.

But the students weren't the only ones who needed to come to grips with what had happened; a few of the adults, himself included needed some time too. Hence the reason he'd felt the need to call them into his office; he wanted to discuss what had happened and what the next step should be.

But he found himself just as unwilling to begin this particular conversation as he had been to tell the students about the accident. Somehow, so long as he kept silent, the problem lacked substance and remained simply an unvoiced concern.

But he knew that it couldn't remain that way; there was only so long that the silence would continue. Sooner or later, someone was going to speak up asking for a reason for their presence, as if any of them really needed to ask why they were there. Still, there was a good chance that someone else would break the silence.

Jean reached out even as he was still arguing with himself, touching his hand gently.

He looked at her and smiled fondly at the gesture.

She had known what he'd been doing; even if she hadn't tried reading his mind. This was her gentle way of telling him to get on with it.

"I made a choice, a long time ago, when it became apparent that mutants were not simply a blip on the evolutionary radar, to help as many children as I could, learn to accept and control their powers; to not be ashamed of their genetic heritage and to learn to live in a society that feared and hated them.

"In many respects, I have succeeded. But then there are days like today that make one feel as if all the success in the world has simply been a prelude to failure." He sighed loudly, gazing into the dark depths of his as of yet, untouched tea.

There was sympathy reflected in nearly every face around him.

Jean reached out and squeezed the Professor's hand again conveying silent emotional support; even as his own grief was reflected in her eyes.

Next to her, Scott spoke up. "You couldn't have prevented this Professor; I'm not even sure you could have predicted it."

Charles nodded as he set his cup aside, the cooling tea no longer enticing. "I know that Scott; but that does not change the fact that I vehemently wish it had not happened. Having said that, I would like to discuss the next step in dealing with this crisis."

Jean spoke up first. "I think the first step might be to schedule a memorial service; the students might get some closure out of saying goodbye. This way, if Jennifer's parents decide to take her back for a funeral, they'll still get that chance."

Scott nodded at her suggestion even as someone else spoke up.

"And I think it would be best if we made ourselves, all of us, even visiting team members, available any time, day or night for a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. We need to make sure that the students realize that we're here for them if they need us."

Another voice spoke up quietly. "And talk about Jennifer; share whatever memories you may have of her; sharing memories of her will bring about a sense of closure as well."

Charles nodded at each suggestion pleased that what they were saying was similar to many of the things that he had thought to do himself.

Scott spoke up once more. "That only leaves one question: what do we say about how it happened?"

The professor glanced over at Scott, but before he could address his question, Logan pushed away from the fireplace.

He was tense, his body set in angry lines.

It was obvious to Charles that he was still worried about Rogue and Ororo and probably wondering just how he was going to help them both recover from their roles in the accident.

"We can't tell them the truth; the students can't handle it and someone might decide to try and hurt Rogue as payback."

The professor shook his head, understanding very well just why Logan had spoken as he had.

Logan was a suspicious man by nature; it was something that had saved him countless times in the past. If someone, even someone he knew and loved, handed him a gift he would be compelled to look deeper; hunting for shadows and assassins at every turn.

He could no more help doing that than he could change the color of his eyes; it was a fundamental part of his make-up. But this situation was different; this was a time where deceit was not called for. Even in the name of saving someone from potential harm.

"Logan, we cannot lie to them; if they find out the truth later it could cause problems."

Logan became even more agitated anger creeping into his voice. "So what do we do then? Do we hang Rogue out ta dry?"

Jean spoke up this time; her voice soft but carrying well in the crowded room. "No one's suggesting any such thing Logan but we have to be honest with them; they trust us."

Logan did not look convinced.

Xavier gently brushed the surface of Logan's mind, trying to get a feel for his emotions. There was plenty of anger which Charles had expected. But there was something more, swirling just below the surface of the anger. Charles reached a bit deeper, trying to pin down exactly what he was feeling. A moment later it burst over him with all the power and intensity of a nuclear explosion. It was so powerful, Xavier could taste it.

Logan was afraid. He was afraid for Rogue and what this incident might do to her and her efforts to control her powers. There was also a sense of concern. Of all the people in the room, he would be the one most likely to understand what was going through the young girl's mind at that moment.

Through him Xavier understood as well.

Logan wasn't just concerned about her physically, he was worried about her mentally as well. Guilt and grief both were warring within her over her role and he knew that if anyone was allowed to make that guilt worse, it could damage her even further.

"Well, I ain't gonna stand by while you guys decide that the guilt she feels isn't enough. I ain't gonna let anyone make her feel worse about what happened than I know she already does."

Xavier held up his hand even as he urged Logan mentally to calm down. "Logan, I have no intention of allowing anything to happen to Marie either physically or mentally. Anyone who even hints at taking matters into their own hands will be dealt with. This is still a school and the students will conduct themselves as such. But on the same token I will not deny what has happened. In time the students will accept this for what it was: an accident."

Logan still didn't look convinced. "And if they don't?"

Xavier sighed unsure of how to answer his question. He had no desire to commit them to a course of action before they even knew what the problem would end up being. "We will deal with whatever comes, when it comes. For now I must turn my attention to speaking with Jennifer's parents tomorrow and the memorial service that will be held later this week. I strongly urge all of you to try and get some sleep; I know that this is a difficult time but we must be strong for the sake of the children."

Everyone stood and began filing out of the room.

Logan stayed behind with Jean for a moment keeping silent until everyone had left. The minute the door had closed, he turned on Xavier and Jean both. "Dammit Chuck; this ain't some kinda ethics lesson. These kids could actually end up hurtin' each other."

Charles held up his hand cutting him off. "Logan, your objections have been noted. But we still have some time before the students begin to ask questions. Let me talk to Rogue about this; she should have a say in this."

This mollified him somewhat and he left the room, a barely suppressed wave of violence rolling off of him.

Given his state of mind at the moment, Xavier was very thankful that he didn't slam the door behind him.

* * *

The mood around the mansion was very subdued for the rest of the day and well into the next as the students tried to come to grip with the loss of one of their own. They moved through the halls alone or in small groups; quiet and almost ghostlike, their grief and disbelief subduing them all. 

Everywhere that Jean looked, she could see and hear the tears as the students mourned Jennifer's death. The school was small; everyone knew everyone else. For the most part the students were a very tight knit group; not surprising given the common obstacles they were faced with.

And while it was impossible for all the students to get along or even like each other all the time, Jennifer was known by all and surprisingly well liked. Many students were taking her loss especially hard.

Jean made note of students suffering from extremely high levels of emotional stress to include them in any and all upcoming grief counseling sessions.

Jean had offered to sit with Ororo during the night and wake her hourly as the doctor had ordered. But Logan had surprised her, volunteering for that duty himself. She relented without too much of a fight; after all he had the healing factor and a night without sleep wouldn't hinder him nearly as badly the next day as it would have her. Instead, Jean had gone to the room she shared with Scott and spent a restless night lying next to him. He too had been shaken by the loss of a student, but it was Jean who was unable to sleep.

Sheer exhaustion finally took its toll on Scott and he passed out. For her it was much more difficult; even with her own heavy mental shields and the sedative Hank had given her, she had been unable to completely block out every mind in the mansion. With so many grief stricken students projecting so wildly, some of them with the potential to become powerful telepaths in their own rights, well she might as well have stayed up all night for all the sleep she managed to get.

Needless to say she was up at dawn; long before Scott woke. She was surprised to find Logan down in the kitchen nursing a cup of coffee that he didn't really seem to want to drink.

* * *

"Good morning Logan." 

He looked up at Jean in surprise; he'd been so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn't even sensed her until she spoke. He rubbed a hand over his eyes trying to shake the cobwebs from his mind. "Hey Red, how'd ya sleep?"

She shrugged. "I didn't; too many minds and wild emotions last night. What about you?"

He'd have to have been blind to miss the dark circles under her eyes standing out strongly against her pale skin; she looked like she had been slugged a couple of times.

He took a deep slug of coffee, feeling the fatigue just at the fringes of his conscious sensations. His healing factor was keeping it at bay for the time being. "I slept some but Ororo is a bit of a bed hog."

Jean chuckled. "I would've thought she'd start to grow out of that by now."

Logan chuckled at the memory of Ororo trying desperately to find a comfortable position in which to sleep.

She had finally found it when she had rolled over sometime in the night and simply thrown herself over top of him. Then she had simply sighed and descended into a deep and restful sleep.

"She was kind of restless last night too; probably some flashbacks to the accident and the mood from the house. Didn't help that I had ta keep wakin' her."

Jean looked at him with concern. "Did she manage to get any sleep?"

"Only after I climbed into bed with her; she said having someone else in the bed was soothing."

Jean chuckled.

There was a time that Ororo had had a very difficult time sleeping alone; she was used to closer sleeping quarters. Probably something she had gotten used to in Africa. Remy had often commented on it.

"I'll go up and check on her today."

Logan reached out and squeezed her hand as he finished his coffee in one large gulp.

"Thanks Jean." He stood placing his empty mug in the sink. It was time to face the fire and go see Rogue.

* * *

Logan stood outside the door to Rogue's room working up the nerve to raise his hand and knock. He didn't want to disturb her; at least that's what he told himself. But the truth was, he wasn't quite sure just how to approach the situation. 

There was nothing in his experienced past that could help him with this one; despite his lack of memory, he somehow knew this. But he had to help her; somehow he had to help her come to terms with not only what had happened but her new powers as well.

Normally, he thrived on such obstacles; nothing gave him more satisfaction than overcoming a challenge. But this was not just a simple obstacle, so easily overcome. Calling it that would be like saying that the Great Wall of China was nothing more than a speed bump. It was completely unrealistic.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn't protect her forever. He simply couldn't be with her 24 hours a day, everyday. There were times when she would have no choice but to interact with her fellow students. And each interaction would increase the chance that one of them might hurt her.

That was where his greatest fear for her stemmed from; the barbs and emotional pain of the other students being unleashed against Rogue. In her already vulnerable and guilt ridden state, she would have little defense against them; and no way to justify what she had done however unintentional it had been.

His thoughts were broken and the decision to enter her room taken from his hands when the door suddenly opened.

Remy stood in the doorway, looking surprised at Logan's appearance. "Logan, Remy was just coming to find you; Marie has been waiting for you." He stepped aside and let Logan into the room.

Rogue was staring out the window, her back to the room. If she heard him come in, she didn't react; she still sat at the window, her knees drawn up to her chest, her head resting on them.

Logan stared at her for several moments seeing the droop of her shoulders that told him of great sadness or even hopelessness. The tilt of her head that told him it was pointed more towards her knees hiding her face and her view of the outside.

He turned back to Remy who was still standing at the door. "Give us a minute would ya Cajun?"

Remy nodded and quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Logan turned back to Rogue's still form wondering just what he planned on saying to her. He walked up to her, grabbing another chair he dragged it with him and sat down in across from her. He leaned forward, reaching out to touch her knee gently.

She flinched visibly, trying to pull away from him; he simply followed her, maintaining the contact.

He wanted her to understand that he was unafraid; of either her or her powers. He wanted her to realize that nothing would change the way that he reacted towards her. "Hey kid."

She looked up at his initial touch, blinking her eyes to focus on him.

He knew by the haunted look in them that she had been thinking deeply about the accident.

She let her legs drop from the chair, pulling away from him both physically and mentally. "Hey Logan."

He reached up, nearly touching her face and she flinched again, only relaxing when he merely touched her head, safely covered by her thick hair. He touched the white stripe in her dark hair; the stripe that had been with her since she had managed to survive Magneto's deadly machine. "Do you remember when ya got this?"

She frowned, a bit puzzled but simply nodded.

He continued to stroke the stripe in her hair as he continued speaking. "I remember that ya walked around for days afterwards, feelin' guilty about leavin' the mansion, about nearly getting' us and yerself killed. But after a few days, ya realized that maybe what happened was a good thing; because ya left, we managed to stop Magneto and we saved a lot of people."

Rogue nodded as he dropped his hand. "Ah remember."

He knew that the events of that night still bothered her, but she had largely put them behind her; in great part due to the fact that she had let go of her misplaced guilt.

"I have ta be honest with ya Rogue, this isn't gonna be like that. The guilt ya feel in yer heart, the guilt ya carry inside, its gonna stay with ya for a long, long time."

Her lips thinned slightly and tears formed in her eyes. She swallowed loudly, fighting to contain the tears. She closed her eyes, fighting for control, sobbing softly.

Again Logan reached out to offer some comfort; he hated to see her in pain but he needed to shock her a bit; make her realize that he understood exactly why she was in such pain; remind her that he understood the guilt that sometimes came from causing death.

After a few minutes she began to calm down, the sobs lessening as she gained control of her tears. She reached up to brush them aside, taking the tissue Logan handed her with silent gratitude. "Logan, do you ever feel guilty about it?"

He sighed knowing that the question was coming; still unsure of just how to answer it. "There's all kinds a guilt; ya can feel guilt if yer actually the one who does the killin'; ya can feel guilt cause they trusted ya, called ya friend and ya had no choice but ta betray them in the end; hell ya can even feel guilt cause someone ya cared about died simply cause of who ya were. Guilt don't feel any different cause of circumstances."

"Ya know what Ah mean." Her voice was annoyed; much like it had been when they had been discussing his argument with Ororo a couple of weeks ago.

God he still found it so hard to believe that so much had changed so drastically in so short a time. He shrugged at her annoyance; he was determined to take this conversation where he wanted it to go, when he wanted it there. No amount of annoyance on her part was going to change that.

"Ya've seen my life; ya probably know more about me than I do." He paused looking out the window. "Sometimes people need ta be killed; ta keep them from killin' others."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. I'm tryin' ta make a point. The short answer is yes, sometimes I feel guilty for some of the things I've done, but not for the reason ya think. A lot of the guilt I carry is for getting those around me hurt; because of who I am; because of what I used ta do. But in the end, I have ta respect that they were the ones ta make the choice on how they lived their lives.

"If I had tried to stop 'em from carin' 'bout me, it would've taken away that choice; worse it would've shown dishonor and disrespect ta the people they were. It might've saved their lives but in the end, well I don't think I'd like to know what my life woulda been like if I hadn't known some of 'em."

Rogue turned her gaze out the window, watching some of the students walking around the grounds.

Logan could almost see the thoughts running through her head as she stared out the window.

She was probably wondering how long it would take for them to put it in perspective and move on; to continue living as if nothing had happened with only a dim memory to prove that anything really had. She was probably wondering if she would ever be able to do the same.

He reached out and grabbed her gloved hand.

She turned her eyes back to his.

"Don't try to forget; it ain't ever gonna happen. But you can learn to forgive yerself. Sometimes it's the only thing ya can do."

She turned back to the window, her eyes filling again with tears as he sat silently next to her.

* * *

Logan left Rogue's room once Remy returned, thanking him for taking care of her. It was still early and he would've laid down money that Ororo hadn't managed to make it down for breakfast yet. 

So he stopped by the kitchen and found Jean making a tray to take up to her. He relieved her of the tray, promising to keep her in bed until she was cleared, and nearly ran up the stairs with it.

He opened the door without knocking, his nose and ears telling him that she was alone. He stood in the doorway and watched her for a moment as she settled on the bed, wincing and shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position.

* * *

She stiffened slightly as something told her that she was no longer in the room and she turned to see him holding a large tray of food. A wonderfully welcome sight to be sure; she couldn't decide if she was more pleased by the sight of Logan, or the tray of food he carried. She smiled as he came towards the bed and kissed her good morning. 

"Yer sore today aren't ya?"

She smiled ruefully as he set down the tray. Every muscle in her body felt as if she had been through a rigorous workout in the danger room, then a sparring match with Logan followed by an all day endurance run. "Yes; I thought that only a workout with you would make me sore."

He chuckled as he reached behind her to move her pillows, trying to help ease her pain.

"Of course, none of our workouts ever made me this sore."

* * *

He turned back to her, seeing her wince again as she shifted trying to ease the bruises all over her body. He sat down next to her on the bed as gently as he could and touched her arm gently. "Have ya taken anythin'?" 

She frowned slightly and he would have lain money down that she hadn't even bothered to fill the prescription the doctor had given her. "I do not like drugs."

He understood that.

To her a sense of control was everything; vital to the stability of herself and her powers. Drugs would not only cloud her mind, they could very easily take away a semblance of her control leaving others around her vulnerable. So she endured without and suffered in silence.

His heart ached for her as he realized how willingly she sacrificed of herself to protect others. "I think I might have an idea; do ya trust me?"

There was a puzzled look on her face as she responded without thought. "Of course Logan."

"Good. I'll be right back."

* * *

He was gone for several minutes and she began to wonder just what he was up to. She had begun to doze off again when he came back into the room. 

He went into her bathroom and she could hear the water running. When he came out, he had some towels in his hands and he was wearing a grin that she couldn't quite place. "How do you feel about a massage?"

She nearly wept in relief at the question. "That would be heaven Logan."

He stepped forward to help her get out of her clothes.

* * *

Logan spent the next two hours with Ororo, talking with her as he massaged away the muscle aches and stiffness caused by the accident. 

She lay quietly on her bed, listening to him talk as he skillfully relieved the pain in her somewhat battered body. She sighed loudly, her pleasure obvious as she literally melted into his hands.

When he had finished, she was limp and relaxed on her bed just shy of dozing off. He leaned over and drew the blanket over her unmoving form. He leaned down further, kissing her face gently as she smiled slightly.

"Get some sleep 'Ro; I'll be back in a couple a hours." He left the room quietly, hearing her breathing begin to deepen as she stopped fighting and began the descent into sleep.

He stood outside her room for several moments, his sensitive ears listening to her even breathing. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the door as he listened to her breathing, letting it anchor him and calm him.

There was something pulsing within him; something flashing in his heart and blood that he couldn't explain. He had never been an overly possessive man; which surprised him given how territorial the beast within him could be. But something in him had changed since the first time he and Ororo had made love.

It began subtle enough, the urge to touch her when she walked by; the urge to hold her hand or rest his arm around her waist whenever they were alone. He had thought it simply a need to maintain his physical contact with her; something the animal sometimes brought out in him.

But what he felt now, what he had been feeling since he'd walked into the hospital looking for her was not subtle; and it was nearly overpowering. He had nearly been unable to take his hands off of her the entire time since the accident. Every moment he was with her, he had been holding her, touching her, establishing something with her that he only vaguely understood.

Holding her during the night had helped; even the hours he had just spent massaging her had helped. But he knew that soon he would find his way up here again and the moment he caught her scent, he would be overcome with an urge to simply touch her.

Maybe it was a result of the accident; something his baser instincts urged him to do for someone he was being intimate with. He wasn't completely sure; he vaguely remembered feeling as if the animal within had laid claim to Ororo their first night together in the woods outside the mansion.

He had brushed it off as delusion, refusing to believe anything he had experienced that night while the Wolverine had been in control. But now, now he wasn't so sure. Now he found himself wondering if maybe he had bonded with Ororo in a way that he had never done before; with anyone.

He pushed away from the door; annoyed as the anger surged up inside of him. He had nearly lost her; nearly lost the one good thing that had come into his life in a long time. He knew that he should be upset about Rogue; they'd nearly lost her as well. But he couldn't bring himself to feel the same emotional upheaval that nearly losing Ororo was causing. There was indeed something strange going on inside him.

He turned away from Ororo's door quietly; resisting the urge to pound the nearest wall in frustration; he had no wish to wake her. And no desire to explain why he might have punched the wall in the first place. As he walked away a shiver of fear ran down his spine.

He wasn't sure what scared him more at that moment: the thought of nearly losing her, or fear of how she had managed to become so very important to him so quickly. He promised himself to explore those thoughts more closely later. For the moment, he badly wanted to speak with the professor again; the air needed to be cleared between them.

* * *

He knocked loudly on Xavier's door, knowing already that he was alone. He had seen Jean and Scott leave as he stood quietly in the hallway. 

They had passed by him, not noticing him as they spoke quietly to each other. There was a slight mental chuckle and he was invited to enter.

Xavier didn't look as if he had slept much himself but he smiled warmly as he waved Logan to a seat. "Logan, I am glad you decided to come see me. How is Ororo today?"

"Sore, very sore; and a bit annoyed that she has ta spend the rest of today in bed. Hank and Jean refused ta clear her."

Xavier sighed, the noise turning into a chuckle at the thought of what Ororo might have said to both Jean and Hank. "I have noticed that the two of you have been spending a great deal of time together."

Logan simply nodded not wanting to give away too much. "Yeah, we have." The statement was ambiguous and they both knew it. But Logan was often ambiguous unless asked directly.

"She has seemed very content since your return."

Logan again felt a small lump building in his chest as his words evoked worries and fears of the accident. He reached up to run a hand through his hand as he tried to regain control of emotions that he hadn't had any chance to explore or understand.

"There have been several rumors about the two of you that have reached my ears recently."

Logan chuckled even as he shook his head ruefully. "There ain't no chance of keepin' secrets in this place is there?"

Charles smiled and shook his head. "No, I am afraid not."

Logan leaned forward, his hands on his knees as he regarded the powerful mutant across from him. "This ain't like ya Chuck; ya don't usually beat round the bush. Yer subtle, I'll give ya that but yer usually more direct than this."

Charles smiled slightly, touching his forehead in a slight salute. "Touché, Logan."

"I'd guess that ya already know a great deal; ya don't usually start askin' questions unless ya already know what most of the answers are gonna be. So it makes me wonder."

"Why am asking about you and Ororo?" Logan simply nodded and the Professor shrugged his shoulders slightly. "I do not presume to tell either of you what you should do or how you should act. You are after all both consenting adults. I simple wish to for you to know that my door is always open should you simply need someone to listen."

Now Logan understood; somewhere along the line he had caught some emotion or strain of thought that was causing him some concern. Logan thought for a moment, pondering whether to share what he was feeling at that moment. On impulse, he took a chance and accepted the professor's offer.

"I almost lost her Chuck; I've only just found her and discovered how much she means ta me and I nearly lost her."

There was a touch of surprise on the Professor's face at Logan's acceptance of his offer. His voice was gentle, his tone empathetic as he reached out to Logan.

"But you didn't. We were lucky this time Logan; we could've lost them all."

"Yeah, I know. But it bothers me that this thing has moved so fast; I wanted to take things slow with her; make sure that what I felt was real. But somehow…" he paused unsure of just what he meant to say.

"Somehow it has gained a life of its own; and grown far quicker than you expected."

Logan took a deep breath, releasing it in a rush. "Yeah."

"What do you feel, now at this moment?"

Logan responded without thought, trying to convey his emotions before he had a chance to deny them or bury them. "I've known her awhile now and she's the only one here that seemed ta accept and understand me from the start. I've always felt a connection with her; she's called us kindred spirits on more than one occasion. I'd just laugh and change the subject. When I came back, somethin' was different between us; I ignored it for awhile until one day the truth hit me over the head.

"I tried to take things slow; I don't want to hurt her. But we both know we've reached a point where there's no turning back. I'm not afraid of that; I just never thought that these feelings would develop so quickly."

"And what are those feelings?"

"If it ain't love, it's the closest thing to it."

Xavier seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Have you told her?"

"No, I haven't. I don't want her ta think that the accident might've drawn out somethin' that wasn't completely real. When I tell her I love her, I want her to be sure the words come from me, from my heart; not because she was hurt in an accident."

"Would that be so wrong?"

"No, but she's been hurt before; and she's had reason not ta trust someone who's claimed ta love her. I don't want her ta ever doubt what I feel for her."

"I would say that you understand very well how you feel. And when the time comes, I am sure you will be very able to convey what you feel to Ororo."

"Thanks Chuck; we tried to keep this thing under wraps. Guess we weren't as good at hiding anythin' as we thought."

"Logan, it's nearly impossible to hide any strong emotions when you're projecting to an extremely powerful telepath."

Logan chuckled as Charles tapped his bald forehead. His mood sobered as he remembered the reason that he'd come in the first place. "Ororo wasn't the only reason I came by Chuck, I wanted ta apologize about what I said…"

Charles held up his hand, interrupting Logan. "No Logan I would never censure a member of my team from speaking their mind; no matter if I should disagree with them. You were looking out for Marie; in that I would have expected you to speak your mind."

"I don't want ya ta think that I ever believed ya would let Rogue get hurt; I know ya would do anythin' to keep that from happenin'. But sometimes kids, especially those that think they've been wronged by someone else, lash out. If these powers stay with Rogue, I ain't so much worried bout her as I am about those around her."

The professor nodded. "I agree and only time will tell if we will need to step in. But for now, it will have to take a backseat to more pressing business. I am meeting with Jennifer's parents this afternoon to answer questions they might have about what happened. I am going to ask for them to be part of a memorial service we are going to hold."

"Ya plan on telling 'em the truth?"

"Yes, I will. Jennifer's parents were very supportive of her attending. In fact they were adamant that she be allowed to develop and control her powers. They never once mentioned her becoming normal. I think that they can handle the truth of this; and I do not believe that they will lay any blame in Marie's feet. This was a tragic accident; plain and simple. Hopefully they will see that as well."


	16. Emotional Turmoil

Summary: Jennifer's parents have arrived at the mansion needing to know how she died. Will they be able to handle the truth?

Author's Note: This took quite a bit longer than I expected; I had such a difficult time getting it just right. It's short and to the point. And don't worry things will begin to look up soon.

* * *

Logan left the professor to check on Ororo again. When he found that she was still asleep, he simply gave into the urge to crawl into bed with her and simply hold her close. He lay there, holding her against him, relishing the contact; the simple sensation of her skin upon his, the soft gentle breeze of her breath wafting across his face and the earthy rich scent that was uniquely hers filling his senses. He could easily have lain there the rest of the day, simply holding her; relishing the easy, intimate contact between them. 

But he was pulled from those pleasant sensations by Xavier's mental summons. Jennifer's parents had arrived, and he wanted Logan to be present when the truth of their daughter's death was broken to them. Sighing quietly, Logan gently left Ororo's bed and headed downstairs.

Logan managed to make it to the professor's study seconds before the door opened and Charles led them into the room, Jean following close behind them. He studied her parents for several moments as they sat and Jean brought them some tea.

Her mother was a smaller woman; barely five feet tall, with dark hair and eyes. Jennifer had inherited her looks and eyes from her mother; even the color of her hair had been the same as her mother's. Those same eyes that she had given her daughter were now bloodshot and surrounded by dark shadows from grief and tears. But Logan had no doubt that, under normal circumstances, they shown with a unique spark and humor.

Her father was a taller, lean man. His light hair had begun its slow transition to gray, but his face still appeared quite young; despite the grief and pain that had etched their mark in the finer lines of that face. It was obvious to Logan that Jennifer had inherited her height and slender build from her father; not to mention the mutant gene that had caused her to attend Xavier's school in the first place. Logan wondered if there was an unconscious sense of guilt inside of the man over that.

Logan watched as he helped his wife sit, concern and grief written plainly on both of their faces as they waited for Jean to bring them their tea.

"Devon, Carol, I wish to express my utmost and sincere sorrow over your loss. I had hoped to never be forced to meet with any parent under these circumstances; and I am truly, truly sorry that I must begin with Jennifer."

Logan knew that the professor nearly always hesitated to use his gifts on others unless there was dire need. But there was no hesitation this time; Logan could feel the sympathy and empathy coming from the Professor as he sought to ease the grief of the couple.

Carol's lip quivered slightly as she fought the tears, a soft sob escaping from her. Somehow, she managed to retain her control, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief as Devon squeezed her hand firmly.

Her voice was soft and weak; the tears she had shed had done more than ravage her face. They had also nearly stolen her ability to speak. "She was very happy here; whenever we spoke, all she could do was rave about this place. She loved this place; she loved everything about it; the teachers, the students, the classes. She told us that she'd recently begun a self defense class with Mr. Logan. She was so excited." There was a sad ghost of a smile even as new tears formed; the memories bittersweet to recall but also impossible to ignore.

The professor smiled slightly, turning in his chair to wave Logan forward. "Yes, we added a self defense class to the roster this year. This is Mr. Logan, although the students simply call him Logan; he was teaching your daughter."

Logan came forward to stand next to Charles, reaching out to shake their hands even as he wracked his brains for something to say. He had seen a great deal of grief, had most often been responsible for causing it in the first place. He had even faced his share of grieving relatives of comrades killed in action and the like. But grieving parents of a child not even full grown was a new one for him and he was unsure of how anything he could say would help.

Carol held onto his hand for several seconds, as her tear filled eyes met his. "She felt so…normal here. We can never thank you enough for giving her that."

Logan squeezed her hand firmly even as he heard himself speak. "I enjoyed working with Jennifer. She enjoyed my class very much."

Devon spoke up, his voice nearly as soft and weak as hers had been. "If I may ask, just what was she learning in your class?"

"How ta defend herself without using her powers. She was a fast learner; light, quick on her feet and she had a hellava spin kick. Managed ta knock me on my can a time or two."

There was a moment of stunned silence as Logan's words slowly registered with everyone. Despite their tears, the grieving couple chuckled softly.

Logan stepped back, hoping to fade into the background as Xavier began to speak with them once more.

"Your daughter was an exceptional student; very eager to learn and always ready to lend a helping hand to her fellow students. Although, there were moments when she was as normal as any teenager; she played her share of pranks and broke her share of rules. But she was well liked and she will be missed."

Logan stood just behind Xavier, the conversation barely registering as Jean came up next to him.

"That was a wonderful thing you did, Logan." Her voice was soft; loud enough to reach his sensitive ears but not strong enough to be heard by the others in the room.

Logan snorted softly. "It was a stupid thing ta say, Jean."

She shrugged. "Maybe to you, but you gave them another memory, another side to their daughter that they've never seen before. They needed that." She patted his arm gently.

Logan was unsure of how to respond and stood there silently.

Devon spoke up, drawing Logan back to the conversation as he spoke to the Professor. "Professor Xavier, the police were very unclear, if I may ask, was anyone else injured in the accident?"

Xavier nodded. "One of our teachers, Ororo Munroe, who had taken the girls out received minor injuries. She is recovering in her room."

Carol touched her tissue to her face once more, her expression tight and drawn, her skin growing wan and pale as reality pressed down on her once more. "Does anyone know what happened? How is it possible that 3 other people can walk away from a major accident that somehow killed our daughter? She was practically indestructible."

Logan could see the confusion on their faces; something about what they had been told didn't make sense to them. The police, in all likelihood had already talked to them about the accident; telling the parents about the other driver and his involvement.

But the police wouldn't have been able to tell them just why their daughter died. And he was very sure that the doctors had been no help either; after all she had died at the scene. If her parents pushed for an autopsy, it was very likely that little or nothing would be found to answer the question of just why their daughter had died. The coroner would more than likely label the death from natural causes and call it a day.

But this had been an accident; if she was killed as a result of it, there must be some obvious trauma or medical reason. Jennifer was a young woman, in great health and supposedly invulnerable thanks to her mutant gifts. She should have been able to take the brunt of the accident and walk away unscathed; but she hadn't and no one could explain why. So, that left them with only one option, one person to ask.

Charles sighed loudly. He leaned forward even as he touched his forehead. Logan recognized the nervous gesture and realized that despite his words to the contrary, Xavier was a bit hesitant to tell them the truth.

"There were unforeseen circumstances in this accident; circumstances that complicated the accident."

Carol and Devon looked at each other, clearly not understanding. Devon turned back to the professor. "I'm sorry, but what do you mean there were complications? We thought this was a simple case of a drunk driver hitting someone else. What made this different?"

Xavier folded his hands, his posture changing a little as he began trying to answer their questions. "Years ago, I founded this school not only to provide a sanctuary for young mutants, but also to provide them with an environment conducive to using and controlling their abilities. For most of the students that come here, that is more than sufficient and they can leave here to live out fairly normal lives, their abilities well under control. But that is not always the case. Sometimes, a student is brought here because their abilities place them and those around them in very real danger; either because their abilities are far too powerful, too strange or too uncontrollable."

Carol shook her head, thinking that the professor was speaking about Jennifer. "But Jennifer gained a great of control over her powers; that was why we brought her here. The last we knew she had no difficulty controlling them at will; the only reason we left her here was so that she could finish school with her friends."

Xavier nodded. "Yes, she had. But I am not speaking of her. There is another student here who has a much different ability; one that she has little or no control over; largely due to the fact that it acts without her conscious control." Xavier slowly explained about Rogue's gift, beginning with the first boy that Rogue had kissed and ultimately put into a coma. However, he didn't tell them the complete truth. He said nothing of the fact that Rogue not only absorbed a person's life force, but their memories and personalities as well.

Logan watched as the horror crept over their faces; the scent of it emanating from them in cloying waves. He tensed as their horror grew and he began to smell the biting scent of anger underlying it.

"If she's so dangerous, why is she allowed to interact so freely with the other students?" There was a touch of hysteria in Carol's voice.

The shrill undertone grated on Logan's sensitive ears and he mentally flinched.

"Because she too wishes to feel 'normal'. She takes a great many precautions; she wears long sleeves and gloves, leaving only her face exposed. She avoids all physical contact with anyone if she is not covered and she has her own private room. In fact, she is very cautious about coming into contact with others; she has no wish to hurt anyone. The other students are aware of her abilities and they too are careful about coming into contact with her bare skin."

Logan watched in silence as the realization began to come over them. He could see it in Devon's face; the slow dawning that swept over him as he finally understood just what the professor was trying to tell them.

"Professor, are you trying to tell us that she was somehow involved in our daughter's death?"

Reluctantly, he nodded. "Yes." Slowly, he told them about the accident and the details that they had managed to piece together from Ororo's account.

They listened in silence, reaching out to each other for comfort as the tears began to flow.

"Oh God! How could this happen? How could you let this happen?" Devon surged to his feet unable to contain his anger as he paced in front of his wife.

Next to him, Logan sensed Jean tensing up as well; the turbulent emotions were beginning to seep through her mental barriers.

"How could this girl be responsible? Why did you let her interact so freely with everyone else?"

Logan stepped forward, intending to stop the man's ranting. He understood grief and the anger it caused; the driving need to lash out. But there was another side to this particular tragedy. A young girl who wouldn't have harmed a fly was even then wallowing in her room, wrapped in a cloak of self pity and guilt.

He wanted them to remember that she too was a person; that she too had been harmed by this accident. The real criminal was the man who had caused the accident in the first place giving rise to the circumstances of their daughter's death. Not the young girl who had unknowingly and unwillingly played a role in that death.

"The girl has a name; and she's just as devastated by the accident as ya are by the loss."

Devon looked up, startled by the interruption. "And I suppose you think that reminder is supposed to make it all better for us."

Logan shook his head, crossing his arms as he met the taller man's gaze. "No, I don't. It's just supposed to help ya keep in mind she's not the one responsible for Jennifer's death; no matter what ya tell yerself."

Devon stepped closer his faced twisted by anger and rage. "Was she friends with Jennifer? Did she ever care about our daughter?"

Logan was silent, knowing that he wasn't really expecting an answer. He'd seen enough of grieving people to know that Devon wasn't even really interested in the question; the words were just a way for him to further lash out, venting his anger. If the girls had indeed been friends than of course he would have no way to rationalize the rage he felt towards Rogue; but if they had not, then somehow that lack of a close relationship would somehow justify his irrational response to the truth.

"Whether they were friends or not doesn't change a damned thing." He felt Jean touch his arm even as the Professor gently brushed his mind. He slapped away the professor's mental touch even as he shrugged off Jean's hand.

Jean spoke out loud. "Logan, that's enough."

Logan stepped away from her, turning on her as his own anger grew at the entire situation. He'd been against telling them the truth; had been adamant that her parents were better off not knowing. But they hadn't listened.

"No, it ain't. I understand their loss and I sympathize. I really do. But I ain't gonna stand here and let them lash out at her for somethin' that wasn't her fault. It's like yelling at a gun that killed the kid that was playing with it. It don't make a damned bit of sense."

Devon stepped even closer to Logan, their faces mere inches apart; shrugging off the restraining hands of his wife, his fists clenched in anger as he fired back. "Are you saying that somehow this was her fault?"

Logan crossed his arms, ignoring the man's threatening posture. He wasn't about to be drawn into a physical confrontation. "No, I ain't. But I am tryin' ta get ya ta see the truth. It wasn't Rogue's fault!"

Devon's face contorted in rage as he shouted. "She killed our daughter!"

Logan drew in a deep breath to fire back when the smell hit him. It was dark, cloying, even sickly sweet. It slowly surrounded him, filling the room, growing and expanding to block out nearly every other smell he could sense.

Logan's nostrils flared as it filled his senses, forcing him to acknowledge it. Deep inside, Logan felt the beast stir from its slumber, drawn to the surface by the smell. He felt his lips pulling back slowly as his animal instincts recognized the smell for the threat that it was.

Logan swallowed the growl that was being pulled from his lips and forced his lips to cover his canines once more. He pushed at the beast and for a moment was afraid that it wouldn't retreat. But it did subside, reluctantly and Logan reasserted control over himself once more. He drew in a deep breath, the smell hitting him again and he felt the beast surge forward once more. He held on, barely; he needed to end this now before he lost complete control.

"Yeah, she did. But she's not the reason yer daughter's dead." His harsh words cut through the air like a knife silencing everyone in the room. Logan knew that there was little or no chance of calming the man; he was still in shock over the loss. He knew that and he understood it. Using the silence as a means to escape before the beast surged forward once more, he walked to the door, grabbing the doorknob and wrenching it open before turning back to face the others.

Jean stood next to the professor, both of their faces were calm, almost serene. But he could smell their anger. He knew that there would be repercussions later for his outburst.

Carol appeared stunned, her hand still raised in an effort to restrain her husband. Almost as if she were unaware that she had raised it.

Devon's face was enraged, his jaw clenched so hard in anger that Logan was amazed that he couldn't hear his teeth grinding to dust.

"Ya want to be angry, fine be angry. Get mad as hell for what was done ta ya and what was taken from ya. Lord knows ya've got a right ta be. But make sure ya get angry at the real person responsible for yer daughter's death.

"Rogue wasn't drinking or drivin' that other car; she didn't choose to play a role in what happened. That choice was taken from her by the bastard who hit them. So if ya really want someone to blame, blame him; he's the one who deserves your hatred. Not some teenage girl who'll agonize over what happened just because of the way she was born." With those parting words, he slammed the door shut behind him, the knob twisted and warped by his grip.

* * *

He stomped away from the room, the rage of the encounter simmering just below the surface. He felt the professor reaching out to him and growled softly as he mentally slapped the gesture away with a great deal of force. He slammed down his mental shields, cutting himself off from both Jean and Charles. He knew from experience that not only could they not contact him, they also would have a very difficult time locating him for awhile. 

He continued walking through the mansion, avoiding the higher traffic areas as he made his way to the danger room. The animal inside him pushed at him, pacing just below the surface, fidgeting as his anger built.

He was not at all surprised by his reaction to what had just happened. He had been in complete control until the moment Devon had spoken up, asking if Rogue and Jennifer had been friends.

Where before there had been warring scents of fear, anger and grief, a new scent surfaced, obliterating the other scents as it overpowered them and filled his senses completely. It filled Logan's nostrils with a sense of malice so vile, under other circumstances he would have thought nothing of running the man through at the slightest provocation.

Logan had smelled hatred on the man, rolling off of him in waves. And the emotion hadn't seemed vague either. Logan had sensed multiple levels; hatred towards Rogue and what she had done to them; hatred towards Xavier and his school for what he had allowed to happen; hatred towards Logan for defending their daughter's killer; there had even been a vague sense of hatred directed at mutants in general and thief often dangerous abilities. Devon was placing all the blame at the feet of the mutant condition, ignoring the role of the drunk.

Logan had felt the animal within come alive at that smell, threatened by the emotions behind it. And because the feral side of his nature had felt threatened, his more rational and logical side had also felt the same threat. Lashing out at them had been a warning more than anything else. To get them to back off until everyone had a chance to cool off and recover from the shock. But it hadn't worked out that way and the resulting argument with Devon had only worked him into a darker rage. Now, Logan felt an overpowering need to go out to the nearest bar and start a rip roaring brawl.

The beast pushed closer, causing his skin to feel to tight and his bones to itch with the need for mindless violence. He flexed his hands, feeling his claws shift slightly in his forearms, waiting for the final skeletal command to snap into action. His lips curled back slightly, pulling away from his teeth as a soft growl built in his throat. There was no stopping the berserker haze that the beast within was pushing on him. Only pointless and wanton destruction would pacify it now.

He rounded a corner of the hallway, his nostrils flaring as a familiar scent reached him. The growl deepened as he focused his eyes further down the long straight hallway to see Remy standing there, leaning against a wall seemingly unconcerned about Logan's slightly enraged state.

Remy stood there for several moments, dispassionately shuffling a deck of cards as Logan's growl grew in length and volume.

Logan wondered why Remy was just standing there, seemingly unaffected by his growl. Then Remy raised his head and met Logan's eyes; Logan found himself reassessing the younger man. He could see the acknowledgement there in his strange red eyes; Remy knew exactly just what he was facing in Logan's present state; he just didn't care.

Remy pushed away from the wall, carefully putting the deck of cards away as he stepped closer to Logan. The silence stretched between them, thin and brittle as they silently sized each other up.

Remy broke the silence first. "Remy was on his way to Stormy's room when he got a call from da Professor. It would seem dat he could not find you and was worried dat in your present condition, you might hurt someone. So, Remy come to look for Logan and he finds da Wolverine instead. Why do you suppose dat is?"

Without thought, Logan tensed the muscles in his forearms and unsheathed his claws; the metallic sound ringing loudly in the empty hall. Logan relished the sharp sting as they cut through the flesh between his knuckles; their weight extending past his hands in a familiar and welcome way. His nostrils flared repeatedly as the faint, nearly indiscernible coppery tang of his blood reached them. The sensations provided an anchor and helped to focus his rage.

Remy simply watched Logan as the feral mutant stepped forward, raising the lethal weapons slightly, the threat unspoken but still obvious.

Logan was itching for a fight; he needed something to vent the bestial rage inside him. He had long since reached the edge of his control; the desire to destroy something, to pummel someone was teasing him relentlessly. But Remy was standing in his way, blocking him from reaching the danger room; the one place where he could release the whole of his rage without fear of hurting himself or anyone else.

Logan looked at him and growled. "Get outta my way Cajun."

Remy continued on speaking as if he hadn't heard him; his voice still calm and even. "Neither da Professor or Jean could find you. Dey said dat you upset Jennifer's Mam and Pere. Remy knows dat Stormy is still injured and he does not wish to worry her; so Remy came to look for you. Remy does not want to tell da Professor and Stormy dat he could not find you eider."

Logan growled again, raising his hands further, the extended claws shining dully in the light of the mansion. "She may be yer sister, but it won't save yer ass if you don't step aside. Don't make me bust you up Gumbo."

Remy studied him for several moments in silence, his strange red eyes never leaving Logan's. After a moment, he stepped aside, waving Logan forward.

Logan sheathed his claws and walked past him issuing a final growl over his shoulder, as he descended into the depths of the mansion to work off some of the rage and frustration he was feeling.

Remy's voice stopped him. "Remy tell everyone dat the danger room be off limits for a while. He also tell da Professor dat you are busy."

Logan grunted and kept walking.


	17. Saying Goodbye

Summary: Logan and Ororo talk about his verbal attack on Jennifer's parents while Jimmy spies on the memorial service

Author's Note: This is short and not so sweet. Sorry about the long update; major case of writer's block. But never fear, it seems to have gone the way of the dodo. Next update will be much, much sooner!

* * *

Logan had lost his shirt some time ago; it had fallen to pieces only an hour into his rampage; and it seemed his pants were not far behind. He had discarded his boots before he'd even entered the room; knowing that his bare feet were far more suited to the cold steel floor of the danger room than the slippery wood soles of his favorite boots. 

He ducked as his opponent, a robot replica of Sabretooth, swung at him. In the next moment, he lashed out with his foot, catching the robot in the head, knocking it sideways. He struck like lightning, leaping on it. He roared in rage, sinking his claws knuckle deep into the chest of his opponent, relishing the metallic screech and robotic scream the action produced.

The robot opponent fell backwards, with Logan kneeling on its chest as it fell. He kneeled there, as it stopped moving, panting loudly; more from adrenaline than physical exertion. Letting the roar die off, he pulled his claws free with a satisfied yank, sheathing them as he stood.

Behind him, a throat cleared loudly as a familiar scent finally penetrated his muddled and occupied brain. He grabbed a towel, not turning. "Ya should be in bed; ya need ta rest."

Behind him, Ororo chuckled. "Hank just cleared me for light duty until next week. I have no wish to spend another moment lying in that bed; alone at any rate."

Logan turned, wiping off his face as he pondered her.

She stood behind him, her arms crossed as she watched and waited for him to continue.

"How'd ya find me?"

She shrugged as she stepped closer, her eyes drifting over his body; almost as if she were searching for wounds. "Remy came to my room, nearly as surly as you tend to get. He told me that he found you heading towards the basement. When he told me how angry you were, and believe me he told me just how angry you were, it was very easy to guess just where you had gone." She reached out to touch his shoulder and he went still.

He wanted so much to simply step closer, let her draw him into her arms and soothe away his anger and frustration. But he resisted the impulse. "Why are ya here 'Ro?"

She let her arm fall. "Jean told me what happened. I thought that you might need to talk."

He snorted. "I think I might've talked enough for today."

"Logan…"

He cut her off. "What Storm? Did ya come here ta get me to rehash what happened, maybe get me ta apologize?"

She folded her arms across her chest once more, her eyes angry. "Of course not; unless you feel you should apologize."

He shrugged. "Damned if I know." He threw the towel down, picked up another and simply stared at it.

She stood there, silent, waiting.

He sighed loudly. He knew that she wasn't about to let it go or leave him alone until he talked about what had happened. "I lost it. They're grievin' and hurt and needin' ta lash out and I lost it."

"Logan, what happened?"

"When Chuck told them about what really happened, they forgot about the drunk that hit ya. They focused all their rage on Rogue, started ta blame her. When I smelled the hate coming off 'em, I lost it."

"It i was /i Rogue's gift that killed her."

He looked at her, angry for a moment as he whipped the towel into the corner. "I know that but it don't make her responsible for what happened."

She nodded. "Agreed. But that does not change the truth of what happened. Given time, Jennifer's parents would have seen that."

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Now we shall never know."

He looked at her sharply, trying to read her face. "You sidin' with them?"

She shook her head. "I am not here to take sides or lay blame, I have only come to listen."

"But you've got an opinion."

"Of course."

"Well?"

"The driver of the other vehicle is at fault. All other results are incidental."

"Bingo. He's the one who made the conscience choice ta ignore the law and common sense. He's the one that decided ta drink and get behind the wheel. And he's the one that caused the circumstances that led ta her death. Rogue wasn't even given that option."

"That is what bothers you the most about all of this."

"Yer damned right. Lord knows I ain't innocent. I've killed before, many times; that ain't no secret round here. But I made that choice; I chose my path a long time ago; ta live this life and I'm responsible for the blood on my hands.

"But Rogue was never given an option, never given a choice. That bastard took that from her and Jennifer's parents want to hate her for it. What they don't realize is that she's been wronged just as much as they have; both girls are victims in this."

"Ah, now we have reached the real truth of the matter; you are angry at them."

"Damned right; they're blaming her."

"A perfectly understandable response given what has been done to them."

"Don't ya think I don't know that? Ya think I don't understand grief and loss? But like I said, I lost it when I smelled the hate. They hated her Ororo; they hated me, they hated ya, this school, Xavier, Jean, even other mutants. It didn't matter to 'em"

Ororo reached out once more, touching him gently. This time he didn't move away or resist as she drew him closer. "Your anger is misplaced Logan. Their reactions were perfectly normal, human responses. Someone hurt their daughter; they simply reacted. It is really not that much different than your reaction now to them hurting Rogue."

Her touch soothed him, calming the anger and rage inside him. He felt the beast subside and go dormant once more as she simply touched him. He sighed as he reached out and drew her closer. He stood there, simply holding her as he thought on what she had said.

She was right; there was no way around it and they both knew it. Devon and Carol's reactions had not only been perfectly normally, but also predictable. Logan had no way of knowing if the anger they felt would ever really go away; but he was pretty sure that the hatred would most likely be short lived. They just needed time; they all just needed time.

He sighed. "I'm gonna have ta apologize ain't I?"

Ororo smiled as she kissed him gently. "No, just let it go. There has been enough hurt done by both sides. Let it rest."

"Alright darlin'. Come on, let's go upstairs and get somethin' ta eat; I'm suddenly starvin'. Who knows, maybe I'll give ya another massage if yer up for it." He took her hand in his and they walked out of the danger room together.

"You shall spoil me Logan."

He chuckled as they headed for the elevator, hand in hand. "That's the idea darlin'."

* * *

Despite what had been said between Logan and Jennifer's parents, Xavier managed to persuade them to stay for a few days, take some time among her friends and classmates and attend the memorial service that would be held in two days.

Logan managed to avoid Devon and Carol; after the heated words that had been exchanged between them, he had no wish to speak with them until some time had passed. Luckily for him, they were no more eager to talk to him and a fragile peace descended over the mansion. There was nothing to do but wait until the memorial service; the entire mansion seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for that day.

But there was one member of the mansion who stood apart from all of the chaos and grief. He waited in the shadows, watching; trying to understand what was going on. The oppressive stillness that invaded the mansion had drawn him out to wander the halls, looking for the source. His searching had brought him to the back of the mansion, where the patio doors opened onto the large English gardens that were at the back of the mansion. He stood there for several moments, watching in silence as Professor Xavier began the memorial service.

Jimmy had sensed that something was wrong inside the school, even before the Professor had told him about the accident. There had been a feeling on the air, a tension that told him something had happened; almost as if he were telepathic himself. He had walked the halls for the past few days, quiet and unnoticed, watching the other students as they wandered through the mansion. Some of them had been crying; some of them had looked shocked; some of them had seemed very, very angry. It didn't take him long to realize that someone had died. He had seen death before; he knew the signs. What he didn't know was how Logan and Ororo fit into all of it.

He knew that somehow they must be involved; neither one of them had been by to see him in nearly four days. It wouldn't have been strange except for the fact that both made it a point to visit him everyday; to talk with him, spend time with him. Other then the professor they were the only adults in the mansion he felt comfortable with. They didn't treat him like there was anything wrong with him; or that he was a freak or damaged for what had been done to him. They treated him like a normal teenage kid.

Jimmy knew that he must have had a family once, before he was taken. He must have had parents who loved him, maybe even siblings. But any memories he might have had from before his time in the lab were hazy and incomplete. He couldn't trust them and he couldn't understand them so he simply chose to forget them. But if given a choice, he would like to have thought that his parents had been like the people at the school. Loving, caring, understanding; willing to love him for himself and not hate him for what nature had given him.

He hadn't been at the mansion very long; certainly not long enough to have understood all of the dynamics at play within its walls. But he was a quiet observer often fading into the background unseen and he was patient; far more patient than any fifteen year old had a right to be. An expert at reading body language, his observations of those living in mansion had begun to paint him a picture of just how and where everyone fit inside the social structure of the mansion.

Jimmy was 15 years old; forced to grow up far too soon by a group of hardcore bigots that had wanted to use him as a weapon. They had never seen him as a human being; never understood that underneath, he and they were fundamentally the same. At his age, he never should have been able to understand any of the emotional turmoil in the mansion; he never should have been aware that it existed in the first place. At his age, he should have been oblivious to anything beyond the concerns of any normal fifteen year old American boy. But he wasn't a normal boy and he saw all too clearly.

Because he saw, because he understood that the specter of death had come to visit the mansion, he stood, hidden in the shadows as the Professor conducted the memorial service to honor a fallen student. He looked at each face, memorizing expressions, postures and gestures, trying to understood how everyone was feeling; how they were reacting to the tragedy that had visited their once safe haven.

Deep inside, a part of him grieved for these children. They had lost something because of this death. Their veil of illusions about the safe world they lived in had been shattered and could never be repaired. No longer would they look at life and see only the good, the golden and the optimistic. Now they would find themselves looking deeper, questioning, looking for the loophole or the danger sign.

For many of them there would no longer be an instant feeling of trust; instead there would be a yearning to trust but an inability to do so; some of them would be forever haunted by that lack. In effect, these children had taken another step towards adulthood with their blindfolds removed.

He found that he could relate; he too saw with eyes no longer clouded in delusion or sentiment. Though in the case of the other students, he was thankful that for them the process of removing the blindfold had been far kinder than that used on him. They would grieve, they would hurt but they would heal and they would move on. He wondered when he too would be able to take that first step.

His attention shifted slightly as he turned his gaze from the students to the adults. His training had emphasized adults, people in power who were or could become threats to him or those he worked for. A couple of weeks of freedom could not erase the training drilled so harshly into him and he found himself gathering data without intending to. His eyes wandered over the adults that sat scattered among the students, offering their support and empathy. He spotted Dr. McCoy and Dr Grey sitting near to each other and he paused a moment. They had been the first of the adult residents that he had interacted closely with and his opinions had formed quickly.

From his observations, he knew that the others called Dr. McCoy, Hank and that the beast-like mutant was very smart. But he was also an introspective man, preferring quiet solitude inside his lab with his experiments and theories and reading his books to interacting with many others inside the mansion.

He knew that Dr Grey was a telekinetic and strongly suspected her of being telepathic; how he knew these things he couldn't say, but he trusted his instincts and did not question the knowledge. His eyes fell on Mr. Summers, or Scott as he had heard him called. He had seen Dr. Grey and Mr. Summers together only once, but he knew that they were in a relationship, had heard others talk about them sharing a room; that they were practically married for all intents and purposes.

Jimmy recalled other times that he had met Scott, meetings where Logan had been present. There had been a sense of unease between the two men that seemed to emanate, not from Logan but from the other man. Almost as if Scott did not completely trust Logan. The one instance that Dr Grey had been in the room, the unease had deepened to something more sinister, darker, thicker, more oppressive. He guessed that somehow, she was responsible, though he hadn't been able to see how as of yet.

His gaze continued around the room, falling on another adult; Remy. He had met the bayou rat through Ororo. The moment he met Remy, Jimmy knew that he had spent time as a thief. There was nothing overt in him that broadcast the fact, but it did not change Jimmy's conclusion. He couldn't say how he knew; part of it was the training he had been given; to read the small clues that people unintentionally broadcast about themselves. Part of it was simple instinct. Whatever the source, Jimmy found himself liking the young man. When he discovered that Remy was Ororo's adopted brother, he felt an even greater connection towards him.

His eyes were next drawn to Logan and Ororo, sitting next to each other and to Remy, a young girl he did not know sitting between them. To Jimmy, Logan became a hero, a role model; someone that under different circumstances, he would have consciously emulated. Logan had after all rescued him from the bowels of hell. But it was more than just that. Jimmy had seen Logan in action inside the lab complex; he'd seen the violence held under tight control inside the man. It sparked a feeling of kinship inside of Jimmy that he had never felt before.

And this in turn sparked a revelation: They were lethal weapons. Both had been trained to kill without thought or consequence. Both had been shown how to release the darker parts of themselves to be used by those who held the power. But Logan had shown him that despite this, there was still a choice for them: they could either sit idly by to be used by other people or they could think for themselves and make the choice to use their skills to help others. He found that no longer such a difficult choice to make.

As for Ororo, he thought of her as simply an angel come to Earth. Even before he met her, Jimmy knew that she and Logan were in a relationship. It resonated in Logan's voice every time he spoke her name. It softened his face, awoke something in his eyes, enough to tell Jimmy that she was someone special to him.

And when he had met her, he knew that she felt just as strongly for Logan as he felt for her. Jimmy too felt nearly as strongly towards her, though for an entirely different reason. She filled a void inside him, fulfilling a need he had to know his own mother. She touched a part of him he had been unaware needed anyone's touch.

In many ways, Ororo was the reason that he chose to stay and begin the arduous process of recovery. He could have run away a long time ago, and simply disappeared. He had both the knowledge and abilities to make tracking him a very difficult prospect. But he did not because Ororo held him back. He knew that his leaving would hurt her, and he do anything to prevent that, even dredge up the painful memories of the past in order to begin moving on. So he stayed and he quietly watched; learning about the people of the mansion and about himself as well.

He turned to leave when something caught his eye. He had at first ignored the slight figure sitting between Remy and Logan. But the figure shifted slightly and something about the motion caught his eye. He knew that her name was Rogue; at least that was what Logan called her; the others called her Marie.

He knew her name, but he had no idea who she was or why she had drawn his attention. He stared at her for a moment, pondering, trying to understand what had caught his eye. Then he saw it; unlike many of the others, she was sobbing softly but violently. Her head was bowed, nearly resting on Remy's shoulder but not quite touching him. He noticed that both Logan and Remy were holding one of her hands firmly in their own; and that her hands were covered in thick gloves.

He watched her grieving, surrounded by those that cared about her and felt it touch something deep inside. He understood pain and grief; Lord knew that he seen more than his fair share of it in the past months. But he did not understand her pain and grief; he couldn't understand its cause. And so he just watched her.

He stood in the doorway, watching her shoulders shaking as she shed silent tears for her fellow student. He was intrigued. No one else, save Jennifer's parents showed the same amount of grief that she was displaying. No one else seemed as wracked by their grief as she. He wondered just what had caused it; and thought that perhaps the next time he spoke with Logan, or the Professor he would ask. Whatever it was about her grief, he needed to find out why it touched him so deeply.

He watched her for several long moments as Xavier spoke, eulogizing Jennifer. Then like a shadow, he simply left the memorial to wait for a chance to gain the information he needed.

* * *

After the memorial service ended, everyone dispersed. For the rest of the day, the students spent time talking with the adults and each other about Jennifer and their memories of her. Xavier encouraged Devon and Carol to wander the mansion among their daughter's friends. Having no idea what else they should do, they did as he suggested. And found an entirely different side to their daughter that they had never known existed. When Charles encouraged them to stay on for a few more days, they agreed easily.

But the mansion was far from peaceful; there were far too many chaotic personalities in residence for that. And as the day progressed, coming to an end and the next day began, life in the mansion began to slowly return to normal. Devon and Carol watched in wonder as they were treated to a rare insight into a normal day for the residents of the school. And while most of the chaos in the mansion was caused by the students, the adults themselves were responsible for a fair share of it as well. Logan and Ororo seemed the foremost culprits.

Despite Hank's medical clearance for Ororo, Logan wouldn't allow her to train. He even went so far as to forbid her access to the workout rooms and told everyone that if they saw her training, they were to tie her to the nearest piece of furniture available. He knew that he was overreacting slightly; she hadn't been severely injured in the accident. But he wanted to be damned sure that she was well before he started kicking her ass on the mat again.

Ororo seemed at first to take Logan's protectiveness in stride; at least for the first couple of days. When Logan held firm on the third day after her clearance, she became annoyed. They had a loud argument that everyone in the mansion pretended not to hear.

"Logan, this is ridiculous. I am perfectly capable of going for a run around the grounds. You are overreacting."

Logan watched her as she stood in front of him, her blue eyes blazing, ready to set him on fire if he continued to stand in her way. He fought the urge to smile; he really loved to watch her when she was riled. She was damned sexy when she was angry.

"Maybe. But that don't change the fact that I'll drag yer pretty ass back to yer room if ya so much as think about doing anythin' not on Hank's list."

She appeared stunned for a moment at his easy agreement to her caustic statement. "I have been cleared medically by both Hank and Jean, Logan. I am on light duty until next week; but that does not mean that I cannot train with you. There is nothing on Hank's list that prohibits that."

Logan chuckled. "If you really think that darlin', let's see ya fly. If Hank hasn't grounded ya fer the next few days, I'll let ya run today." He watched as her lips pursed tightly in annoyance.

"You are being unfair Logan. I am perfectly capable of deciding what I should and should not do after being injured."

Logan could see that she was more than annoyed. She was frustrated and emotional herself; she needed an outlet. But in order to help her heal physically, most of her normal activities were being denied to her.

Hank had been adamant, with Jean's support that she be grounded for the next several days; they were unsure just how her healing mind would react to the use of her powers. So, they had also given her a neural inhibitor to prevent her using her abilities unconsciously as well. She had tried planting in her greenhouse, but when she mentioned that her mild headache had actually worsened, that was taken from her as well.

He knew that she was nearing the point of lashing out herself. He reached out and drew her close, wrapping his arms around her slender body. He heard her sigh even as she relaxed against him.

He reached up to touch her face gently. "I know ya can handle yerself darlin'. I ain't got any doubts bout that. But I also know how stubborn ya can be. Ya'd run yerself into the ground if we let ya. And ya'd do it just to prove ta Hank and I that ya could. But just this once, please let's do it our way."

She stiffened slightly against him.

Logan pressed on. "I just wanna make sure that head of yours is healed. I promise that you'll feel better tomorrow. And I'll take ya running myself, after I talk with Hank. Deal?"

"Agreed."

"Great. Now, how 'bout a movie. We never did get around ta seein' i The Sixth Sense /i like ya wanted."

She smiled, seemingly relieved to be occupied for even such a short time. "That sounds lovely Logan."


	18. Life Stumbles on

Summary: In this chapter, the X-men begin moving on from their recent tragedy, while one of their own decides to lend a hand to a friend in need. And someone catches Logan in Ororo's bed.

Author's Note: Hello Readers. I know I said that it wouldn't be a long time between updates but man was I wrong. I had this Chapter completely thought out and mostly written when life reared its ugly head. In the form an infected cat bite. Just a small tip to those of you out there who have cats. If you ever get bit, I mean really, really bit, like broken through the skin and into the soft tissue underneath, get your butt to the hospital. Nearly all cat bites become infected (thanks to their teeth) and they can cause you some serious harm. So, having said that, and having finally recovered to the point where typing is no longer painful, and I can make a fist once more without flipping everyone off, I am continuing on with my tale.

* * *

Jennifer's parents left two days after the memorial service. With the service done, her room cleaned out and all of her possessions taken back by her parents, life in the mansion began to slowly move on. Classes began once more, and if at first many of the students were quiet and withdrawn, they did not stay that way. Within the week, many were laughing and arguing much as they had before the tragedy. Almost as if the tragedy had not really happened; but such is the way of the young. 

Rogue was excused from self-defense with the other students until Logan and the professor were able to determine if the powers she had gained from Jennifer were permanent. If the transfer appeared permanent, Logan would work with her to help her learn to control her new abilities. They had no wish to see anyone get hurt; least of all Rogue.

So Logan waited, giving her the time that everyone said she needed to come to terms with what had happened. But he watched her closely even as he waited. He wasn't quite as convinced as everyone else that all Rogue really needed was time. And he was fearful that there was a breakdown awaiting her in the near future.

Time passed slowly for the residents of the school. Ororo finally began training again. True to his word, Logan let her run after a short conversation with Hank. But it was a few days before he began sparring with her; and nearly a week longer before Hank allowed her back into the air to ride the winds.

Ororo for the most part took it in good grace; but her temper was nearly gone by the time everyone stopped babying her. The day that she was finally allowed free reign in the sky again, everyone in the mansion breathed a sigh of relief.

Logan spent a great deal of time with Ororo, trying to occupy her and keep her from lashing out at those around her. Together, they spent a great deal of time roaming around the mansion, arguing good naturedly about movie plots, actors, music, books anything that they had recently done together.

They also spent a great deal of time with Jimmy once more. Now that they were once again able to focus their attentions to helping him regain what was taken from him. They often spent time with him doing things with him that were simple, ordinary things that often were taken for granted by other children. But Logan quickly realized that for him, each one was a treasured memory. And each memory he made, replaced one that had been lost.

So Logan set about helping him to replace the memories that had been lost. He gave Jimmy a lot of firsts over just a few days. He played basketball with him, took him for a ride on his bike (despite the frigid weather), he took him hiking in the woods showing a great deal about tracking and even took him to a horror movie that was playing in town.

Jimmy was ecstatic about his new experiences and slowly began to open up. He was still quiet, still a bit withdrawn. But now, he would respond when spoken to and on rare occasions, he even volunteered information that wasn't asked for.

Professor Xavier felt that it was a very good sign.

But for Logan, it wasn't enough. He knew that Jimmy needed to begin interacting with the other students and soon before they had a chance to make up their minds that he might be strange. So he decided that the winter weather would be the perfect excuse to get everyone outside and involved in a somewhat neutral activity that Jimmy could participate in as well. He decided to start a snowball fight.

He figured that a snowball fight was something that everyone could join in and would enjoy. And it would give Jimmy the opportunity to interact with the other students in a non threatening environment. He'd also get to see how many of the students interacted with each other under different circumstances. Logan thought it might be good for him to see the students being competitive, even mildly violent with each other but not acting upon the violent tendencies beyond pelting each other with snowballs.

The problem was that they'd had a warm spell recently, and most of the snow was gone. There were still small patches, bravely holding on despite the beating sun. But there wasn't enough to have a decent snowball fight with. So Logan turned to the one person he knew who could change it. Ororo.

He found her outside, walking around the mansion refilling the multitude of birdfeeders that she and Jean had put up over the years. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, sighing as she chuckled. "How ya doing today beautiful?"

"Fabulous Logan. Even better now that you are here."

"Glad to hear it, 'cause I need a favor."

"And what might that be Logan?"

"We need some more snow."

"More snow?"

"Yeah, and it needs to be warm enough ta pack together. Can ya do it for me?"

"Of course I will be able to do it Logan. But I must ask why."

"I think the kids would like some fun. So how 'bout a snowball fight?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea Logan. I would very much enjoy a snowball fight. I shall take care of that immediately."

* * *

Ororo did as promised and brought down a great deal of snow, piling it high around the mansion. She was a vision floating in the sky, her arms outstretched to the heavens as the snow fell down around her.

The news that it was snowing and that Logan was looking for teams for a snowball fight spread quickly. And while most of the students had returned to their homes to be with their families during their break, there were many more that had stayed behind and gladly joined in the fun.

The snowball fight lasted for over an hour, with neither side willing to concede defeat to the other. But as time passed, the students' interest in winning the battle lessened as they grew cold and wet. Slowly, they began to drift away, back inside, into the warmth of the mansion and dry clothes. Until the only ones that were left were Ororo, Logan and Jimmy.

Logan draped his arm around Ororo's waist, holding her against his side as they watched Jimmy throwing snowballs, trying to hit some nearby trees. Logan had a pleased expression on his face as he watched Jimmy engaging in some frivolous fun

After the accident, they'd given up any pretense of hiding their new relationship. Most of the students hadn't believed the façade anyway. When Ororo had been hurt, it had become very difficult for Logan to control the urge to touch her whenever he was around her. So they both had just stopped pretending.

Most of the people close to them already knew about the change in their relationship. But for some, it had been a welcome and long awaited surprise.

Ororo sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Thanks 'Ro. I think that's just what everyone needed." Logan looked around the grounds, seeing the newly fallen snow trampled by dozens of foot prints. Someone had even built a few snowmen up near the house.

"Everyone seemed to greatly enjoy it. Although it is too bad that they decided on a draw. I would like to have kept on kicking your behind."

Logan looked at her, seeing the smirk on her face and snorted loudly. "Whatever ya say darlin'. I had ya on the mat." He turned her to face him so he could look her straight in the eye, keeping his hands on her hips.

"Dream on tough guy." She snorted, poking him in the chest, one hand behind her back.

He chuckled, reaching behind her back and closing his hand around the snowball she had formed in her fist. He took it from her and held it up in front of her. "Ya weren't thinkin' of cheatin' were ya darlin'?" His voice was soft, low and he felt her shiver at it.

She shrugged. The impish light in her eyes was unmistakable. "Heaven forbid Logan, I was simply leveling the playing field."

"Uh huh. And I suppose ya weren't plannin' on plantin' this between my eyes either." He tossed the snowball away, drawing her closer to him.

She shot him a look of pure innocence. "Of course not Logan, that would be very unsportsmanlike." She reached up to touch his chest lightly, her hands splayed across the generous width of it. "I was, however, planning to hit you with it when your back was turned. Preferably in the back of the head so that it would slide into your jacket."

Logan chuckled, his lips mere inches from hers, teasing her.

She laughed, leaning back slightly, teasing him in her own way.

"And ya keep tellin' me I'm the devious one. I ain't got nothin' on you darlin'."

Ororo laughed, kissing him lightly.

There was the sound of a voice being cleared behind them, reminding them that they were not alone.

Logan's arms dropped as she stepped back from.

"I forgot that we were not alone."

He touched her cheek gently, running his thumb along her chin slowly. "We'll finish this conversation the minute we're alone darlin'."

She smiled, reaching up to touch his hand with her own. "Of that I have no doubt, tough guy." She struck quickly, like a snake, her arm lashing out, extending as she pelted him with a snowball square in the face.

He stood there for a moment, stunned. He'd never expected her to strike again so quickly. Somehow, she had managed to create another snowball behind her back. And he knew exactly how she'd done it too. She'd used herself as a distraction. He reached up, wiping the snow from his face, the ice cold water dripping down his neck.

She laughed at the murderous look on his face and leaped into the air, escaping from his wrath. She hovered, just out of reach, taunting him.

"Ya have ta come down sometime darlin'. And I promise ya, when ya do there'll be hell to pay." He didn't know how, but he would get her back. It was just going to take some time.

"Promises, promises Logan." She flew off, her joy infectious.

Logan watched her cavorting in the air with a smile on his face. He turned from her, leaving her to enjoy her flight to see Jimmy watching him closely.

There was a strange look on his face, almost as if he were remembering something that he'd forgotten before.

Logan wasn't sure what the look meant or what he might be recalling inside his head. So he decided to keep the mood light. "Come on Jimmy, let's go inside make some hot cocoa and the plan the demise of yon treacherous woman." He nodded his head in Ororo's direction and Jimmy smiled.

For a moment, Logan froze in place, his claws itching to be free. There was something in his smile that raised Logan's hackles. It seemed forced and held a cold calculation to it that made Logan immediately leery of him. He reached out and touched Jimmy's shoulder.

Jimmy jumped a bit, the smile fading.

Logan said nothing, just waiting.

"Sometimes it's hard to control, you know?" Jimmy's voice was soft and shaky, even touched with guilt.

Logan looked at him, squeezing his shoulder firmly and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Come on Jimmy, let's get ya that hot chocolate and make mine a cup of really strong coffee."

* * *

A few minutes later, they sat at the kitchen table, looking outside as they both sipped their hot drinks.

Jimmy was quiet; he had been since the incident in the gardens. At that moment, he was staring into his hot chocolate, not drinking it.

Logan sat there with him, quietly waiting. He figured that if Jimmy wanted to tell him about what was bothering him, he would. He wasn't about to pressure the young mutant. So he sat at the table, sipping his coffee and watching Ororo flying through the sky.

He wondered if anyone had approached Rogue about learning to fly. He decided to take it up with Charles the next day. It was time that she started learning how to control her new powers.

He felt the weight Jimmy's eyes resting on him and waited, never taking his gaze from the window.

Outside, Ororo continued her aerial dance.

"You love her, don't you?"

Logan took another sip of coffee and turned his attention back to Jimmy. He wasn't sure what had sparked the question but he knew that at the stage he was at, honesty would probably be for the best. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do."

"I think someone loved me once." His voice was quiet, even thoughtful. Almost as if he was not completely sure that such a thing mattered to him.

"I'm pretty sure someone did; I'm sure that someone still does." He looked at Ororo again and watched as Jimmy did the same.

"She does?"

"Yeah, she does."

Jimmy was quiet for some time, thinking. "But how can she? She doesn't even know me."

Logan shrugged, gazing out the window. "She's funny like that. Ororo may not know ya, but she knows this." Logan reached out and touched Jimmy's chest, right over his heart.

Jimmy looked down at Logan's hand, and then back up at the older man.

"She can look right inside ya, see the hurt that ya feel and she wants ta take it away. She sees yer heart Jimmy and she knows ya need someone ta love you."

Jimmy nodded. "Kinda like how you care about Rogue."

Logan nodded, his voice quiet and somber. "Yeah, kinda like that."

"I saw the memorial service."

If Logan was surprised by the change of sudden change in subject, he didn't let it show. "And yer wonderin' what happened."

Jimmy nodded. "I understand the parents' grief. But Rogue was just as upset by the girl's death. Why?"

Logan sighed loudly, looking into his coffee and wishing that it was a large glass of whiskey instead. He looked closely at Jimmy, measuring his interest. He saw no malice in Jimmy's face, just a mild curiosity.

"Rogue's gift killed the girl. She can't touch other people without absorbing their life energy. But along with that comes their memories and abilities; even their mutant powers if they have any. Ya heard about the car accident she was in."

"Yeah, I saw you carry in Ororo."

"Well, that's how it happened. Someone hit them and there was bare skin contact between the two girls. Only no one realized it had happened until it was too late. Rogue is devastated by what happened. That's why she was as upset as Jennifer's parents."

Jimmy thought quietly for several moments.

"I understand why she'd be upset."

"Yeah, so do I."

"They made me kill someone against my will too."

Logan went completely still, his mind racing. The professor had never mentioned this in any of their meetings concerning Jimmy. But he waited, silently for Jimmy to continue. He was afraid to say anything for fear that Jimmy would stop talking.

Jimmy looked at him, his eyes now shadowed with knowledge and insight that no fifteen year old should possess. "Have you ever killed anyone when you didn't want to?"

Logan snorted, taking a sip of his coffee thinking back on the parts of his life he could remember. It seemed that all he had ever done had been killing someone, for one reason or another. Had any of it ever been against his will? Now there was the $64,000 question.

"I've killed; can't say whether I ever really thought about bein' given a choice before."

"Did you ever enjoy it?"

Logan answered without hesitation. "No, not even when it was my worst enemy."

Jimmy seemed surprised by the vehemence of his response. "I guess you've spent some time thinking about it."

"Course I have. Killin' any livin' thing is bad mojo. Why do ya think our cave dwelling ancestors created rituals ta purify hunters? They were afraid that the spirits of the animals they killed would come back ta haunt them. Why should killin' people be any different?"

Jimmy's voice was haunted and he didn't look at Logan as he spoke again. Instead, he focused his attention on the window and Ororo, still flying in the sky. "How did you get past it, how did you do it again and again without going crazy?"

Logan set his coffee down, looking Jimmy right in the eye. The fact that Jimmy had killed someone, probably several people if the bastards at the lab had their hands in it, was a revelation. Logan wished that he could go back and kill the bastards all over again for what they'd done.

They'd taken a young man, tortured him mentally and physically, exposing his young psyche to horrors unimaginable hoping to turn him into a heartless human being. But it hadn't been enough, or it hadn't worked fast enough for them. And so they'd forced him to take a life.

There had been no one there for Jimmy when that had happened. No one there to talk to him and help him through the trauma of the act; no one to help him put it in a perspective that he could manage and deal with; no one to explain to him how killing someone changes you, deep down inside your soul where no one else can see it; where sometimes, you're not even sure you can see it yourself. In short, there had been no one to help him hang onto his humanity.

Given that, Logan was amazed that he wasn't exhibiting worse symptoms than the ones that he had. In fact, Logan was amazed he was still sane.

"I never let myself think about it if I could. I never let myself feel anything when I did it. I was afraid I might break inside and begin ta enjoy it if I let myself feel at all. I stayed alive, I survived. I did it for years and I hated it; hated what I was; hated what they forced me ta become.

"But I didn't know it at the time. I thought I was doin' the right thing. I thought I was doin' what needed ta be done, what I'd been born ta do. Its only when I look back that I realize somethin' was missin'. It's only when I look at my life now that I realize that I was two steps away from becomin' one of the monsters that I'd spent my life killin'."

A look of confusion swept across Jimmy's face. "Then why do it?"

Logan shrugged. "Sometimes people gotta be killed ta keep them from killin' someone else. Sometimes people gotta be killed ta simply keep other people from dyin'. And sometimes, there just ain't no reason at all ta do it, but ya do it for mercy's sake. 'Cause if ya don't do it, they're gonna send someone else; someone who might be more bloodthirsty than ya are; someone who might not end it as quickly as ya would; someone who might drag it out for some sadistic reason; someone who might not let the person die with any dignity. There's a million reasons ya tell yerself so ya can sleep at night. But sometimes, there's just no straight answer."

Jimmy seemed to think on this for several moments.

"Somehow Jimmy, ya made it through it. Somehow, yer here ta tell me about what happened when others might have been destroyed by what was done to 'em. There's not many people in this world that can deal with what ya were forced ta do."

"Will she be alright?"

There was no need for Logan to ask who he meant. Logan shook his head slowly. He wondered that himself. "I don't know kid, I really don't know."

* * *

After his sobering conversation in the kitchen with Jimmy, and after he sent the young man off to the med lab to see Jean and Hank for some more tests, Logan went running to the Professor's office. He told Charles what Jimmy had told him only a short time ago.

Charles seemed greatly disturbed by the news, but also somewhat relieved. "I knew that something had happened to him that he didn't wish to share with me. I was afraid that if I was unable to discover what it was, I would not be to deal with the repressed trauma effectively."

"Do ya think ya can get him to open up more?"

"Perhaps. I do not know at this point Logan. He has undergone so much damaging trauma, I am unsure if he will ever completely recover. Like Marie, I fear all we can do is give him time."

Logan nodded. It seemed to him that was all they ever could do anymore.

* * *

Later that night, he lay in bed next to Ororo, her head resting on his arm as he absently stroked her hair, thinking on the days events. It had started out so promising, but somewhere along the line, it had jumped the tracks and descended into a dark abyss of chaos.

He and Ororo had managed to spend a quiet evening together, complete with a casual dinner in town. She'd even managed to con him into watching a few old movies that she greatly enjoyed and wished to share with him.

He'd enjoyed the dinner and the company. And many of the movies had been a pleasant surprise. But the moment he began to relax, the memories would rise to the surface and wipe away his good mood. He'd felt distracted the entire time.

Even Ororo had sensed something amiss. She had asked him about it, but he'd simply smiled, kissed her lightly on the cheek and changed the subject. Surprisingly, she hadn't pressed him.

So now he lay in her bed, unable to sleep, thinking about the day and what Jimmy had revealed to him. Someone inside the Canadian government had tried to make him a killer. Hell if the truth be told, they'd succeeded to some extent. The boy thought and acted like the killer that they'd trained him to be. And he was only 15 years old.

Xavier was hopeful that given time, the damage could be repaired. The training could be suppressed and forgotten. In time, he hoped Jimmy would look back upon the events like a hazy nightmare, the kind that is lost quickly in the growing light of dawn. And eventually, Jimmy would be able to function normally in normal society settings.

But Logan was no longer sure. When he'd thought that Jimmy had simply been physically tortured, he'd been convinced of his eventual recovery. Physical torture left scars, but they were scars that were relatively easily dealt with, even in someone as young as him.

But this was far different. He'd taken someone's life. He'd watched them lay on the floor, dying after dealing that death blow himself. There was turning back from something like that; not when he'd been trained and expected to do it. Jimmy would more than likely battle the training and the urge to follow it for the rest of his days. Only time would tell how well he'd manage that battle.

Logan felt Ororo shift in her sleep, snuggling closer to him, throwing her arm across his chest. Almost as if she could sense his turbulent thoughts, even asleep. He touched her arm lightly, not wanting to wake her.

He gazed at her for several moments, still in awe of the fact that she was there beside him. He rolled to his side and held her hand in his as he watched her sleep peacefully beside him.

Somehow, she had become his anchor. Something he reached for when the world around him stopped making sense or simply just decided to pull the rug out from underneath him.

Whenever something went wrong, she was always there, her quiet presence supporting him in more ways then he ever realized. The thought brought a smile to his face. With an effort, he pushed the dark thoughts aside, and settled in to sleep. Using the warmth and feel of Ororo's touch to drive away the demons, he drifted off.

* * *

Sometime in the night, he snapped awake. He listened closely, taking in the sensations around him to try and understand just what had awakened him.

Ro lay on her side next to him, her back pressed into his side as she slept on blissfully unaware that something had awakened him.

For a second or two, he thought that he'd had a nightmare but immediately discarded the thought. Whatever had woken him from a dead sleep was something outside of himself. He sniffed lightly, testing the air as he caught a familiar scent. He heard the faint rustle of Ororo's drapes even as a gentle waft of cold air swept across the room and the faint click of her window closing reached his ears.

Logan knew that whoever had snuck into her room had left just as quietly as they had entered; and he knew that tomorrow, he would need to have a talk with that person.

* * *

The next morning, Logan went down to breakfast while Ororo was in the shower. The kitchen was empty, so he set about cooking for the others. He was making a pot of coffee when Remy walked in. 

Logan looked up as he stood in the doorway. "Mornin' Remy, hungry?"

Remy was silent for a moment, a strange look in his eyes as he stepped further into the kitchen. "Non, Logan." He grabbed a coffee cup and stood by the coffee maker, waiting silently as the coffee brewed, staring at Logan the entire time.

Logan could feel the cajun's eyes on him but ignored it. The weight of Remy's gaze was like an itch between his shoulder blades and Logan fought the urge to shrug it off.

Instead he turned meeting Remy's gaze stare for stare. The soft trickle of the coffee maker filled the room. They were still standing there silently staring at each other when Ororo walked into the room.

She smiled at both of them, grabbing her own mug, kissing Remy on the cheek as she reached out to fill her coffee cup. If she sensed the tension between the two men, she didn't let it show.

"Good morning brother dear." She filled his mug after she filled her own and walked over to Logan. "Good morning Logan."

He smiled at her, giving her a quick kiss. "Good mornin' darlin'. Ya hungry?"

She shook her head. "No, not right now. I was hoping to get the rest of those papers graded this morning. I shall see you in the gym for our training session later this morning." She gave him one more kiss, touching his chest lightly as she leaned into him.

Logan caught a strange noise coming from Remy at her words. He ignored it as he nodded at Ororo before she left the room. He watched her until she disappeared from the doorway, his keen ears telling him that she was still walking away from the room. Then he turned his attention back to Remy. This time, he could see a light of anger in the younger man's eyes.

"What's bothering ya Gumbo?" Logan asked the question, but he wasn't really interested in the answer. He had a pretty good idea what was bugging him.

Remy stepped closer, invading his personal space. His posture threatening and tense. "Remy saw you in Ororo's bed last night."

Logan resisted the urge to step back, instead he crossed his arms across his chest, trying to seem unconcerned. Yeah, and what were ya doing sneaking into her room in the middle of the night?"

Remy ignored the question as he pointed an accusing finger at Logan. "Remy know dat you spent da night wit her."

Logan shrugged. "And if I did?"

"Remy not tink dat is a good idea."

"Yeah, well I happen to know you spent the night in Rogue's bed over a month ago."

Remy's eyes glittered with anger. Apparently he'd forgotten about Logan's keen senses. "Yes, dat is true; but not'ing happened."

Logan stepped closer, lowering his voice an octave, letting a touch of the wild beast come out in his voice. "Same here bub, we were sleeping."

Remy's voice dropped to a harsh whisper as he tried another tactic. "Remy not like dat you are seeing his sister."

"And I don't like yer overprotective attitude. We had this discussion before; she's a grown woman. And last I saw, she was perfectly capable of makin' her own decisions."

"For da most part yes, but where you are concerned, maybe yes, maybe no. Remy not so sure."

"Don't try pullin' this shit with me kid, I've been at the intimidation game a lot longer than ya've been alive. I suggest that if ya have a problem, ya learn to deal, 'cause I ain't steppin' outta her life on yer say so."

"We shall see." With those parting words, Remy stepped around him, heading to the door.

Logan stood behind him. Letting him walk away before either of them did or said something they'd regret later.

Just before Remy left the room, he threw his hand over his shoulder in a nonchalant gesture.

Logan watched the playing card heading towards him, and reacted instinctively. His claws unsheathed and he slashed the card as it flew through the air at him. The two halves glittered dully and then suddenly exploded. The kitchen was filled with acrid smoke and bits of ash as the force of the blast burned the front of his shirt and singed the skin underneath.

Logan growled softly even as he felt his healing factor kick in. He stood in the kitchen, his shirt ruined and his temper frayed , clenching and unclenching his fists, his claws sliding back and forth as he fought the urge to go after Remy.

A moment later Jean walked in. She gazed at him, puzzled as she took in the bits of burnt shirt that were still clinging to him and his healing chest.

"Problems with the toaster Logan?"

He growled at her as he shrugged out his ruined shirt.

She stepped up to him and looked at the wounds, even though they were closing. "I'm going to guess at what did this, given that I just saw Remy leaving here with murder in his eye. Just what did you do to piss him off?"

Logan chuckled as he tossed his shirt in the trash. "He can't handle the fact that I'm sleepin' with his sister."

A shocked look shot across Jean's face. "You're sleeping with Ororo?"

"Yeah, I am, and I'd appreciate it if ya'd keep it ta yerself, alright?"

She nodded at him silently.

He stormed from the room to get a new shirt and to talk with Ororo about her brother meddling in her love life.


	19. Christmas Time is Here

Summary: Christmas has arrived at the X-men mansion and Logan picks out a gift for Ororo.

Author's Note: This turned out a bit longer than I wanted. But hey, it worked so I can't complain. I won't be updating for awhile. The next couple of weeks are going to be far too busy for me to work on the next chapter. But don't you worry, things with Rogue are going to be resolved soon.

* * *

Jean waited several moments after Logan had left the room before she ran from the kitchen, looking for Ororo. She simply couldn't wait to see if what Logan had told her was true. She had to track her down and drag the truth from her. 

She had suspected that Ororo would eventually sleep with Logan. Despite the cold and aloof front that Ororo presented to the world, Jean knew that there existed a very different side to the powerful woman. A passionate, carefree side to her personality that she guarded very closely; a side that she only shared with a select number of people.

Because of this, sleeping with Logan was inevitable. Ororo simply would not be able to resist him for too long. But Jean had never thought that it would happen as quickly as it did.

She found Ororo in her classroom, quietly grading papers behind her desk.

Jean strode into the room, crossing her arms indignantly as she stopped at the desk.

Ororo never too her eyes from the stack of papers in front of her, or looked up at her friend. "Really Jean, it is a little early yet for theatrics, do you not agree?"

Jean smiled slightly as she leaned forward. "You little trollop you."

Ororo looked up, a delicate brow raised in surprise. "Pardon me?"

"You slept with him and you never told me."

Ororo turned her attention back to her papers. "Really Jean, I have no idea what you are talking about."

Jean chuckled as she leaned across the desk. "Don't play dumb with me missy. I heard it straight from the horse's mouth a few minutes ago."

Ororo set down the pen in her hand and looked up at Jean.

"Since I know I did not tell you any such thing a few moments ago, I must assume you are referring to Logan. Although at this moment, I do believe that horse's ass is a much more apt description."

"So it is true?"

Ororo sighed loudly. "How I ever thought to keep this from you is beyond me. Yes, it is true, Logan and I have slept together."

Jean squealed in delight and pulled a chair up to the desk. "Spill 'Ro, I want details."

Ororo laughed picking up the pen once more. "You are worse than the students."

Jean snorted loudly. "Be that as it may, I want to hear everything."

Ororo leaned forward, her voice dropping as she imparted the details. Jean waited tensely. "Well if you must know the truth, it is all very simple. We simply crawled into bed and fell asleep." She sat back, turning her attention back to the papers.

Jean sat there for a moment, stunned. She shook her head, and lifted her hands into the air. "Come on 'Ro, you know that's not what I'm asking about."

Ororo looked indignant. "You asked if Logan and I slept together, did you not? I answered the question you asked of me. Really, what else could you mean?"

Jean stood, pacing in frustration. Somehow she had lost control of the conversation the moment she'd walked into the room. "I was trying to use a euphemism. I may have asked if you slept with him, but that's not really what I wanted to ask. I was trying to be polite. What I really wanted to ask is if you two are dancing in the sheets."

Ororo paused to think a moment and then shook her head. "In the sheets, no. But we did dance recently inside my greenhouse."

Jean reached up to pull at her hair. "Don't be cute. I want dirt and smut and I'm not leaving this spot until I get it."

Ororo chuckled. "If you wish, I can direct you to a local adult bookstore. Perhaps they will have what you are looking for."

"Very funny. I can see that you've no intention of sharing with me. Fine, if you won't spill the beans, I'll just go find Logan. He sure seemed willing to share a few minutes ago. Maybe he'll give me the damned details."

Ororo laughed, waving Jean back. "You win. I shall tell you what happened. Goddess knows that Logan might tell you a great deal more or less than you really wish to know."

Jean sat down as Ororo told the story of the cat and mouse game in the woods and the resulting bout of lovemaking that followed.

Jean sighed happily at the end of the story feeling an urge to find Scott and spend several hours making him extremely happy. "Wow, that sounds like quite an adventure."

"That is one way to look at it. I prefer to think of it as a lovely and joyous experience."

Jean giggled. "There is that."

Ororo giggled as well.

Jean grabbed her hand in her own. "Please tell me that this wasn't a one time thing?"

"I shall answer that on one condition."

"Name it."

"Do not let Remy find out about it. He does not care for the fact that Logan and I are dating."

You have no idea. Jean thought to herself. But to Ororo, she merely smiled and nodded. "Scout's honor."

* * *

Neither Jean nor Logan mentioned the incident in the kitchen involving Remy. And surprisingly, neither did Remy. Although Logan was tempted several times to go after the young man and pummel him. He managed somehow to restrain himself. His restraint was due in large part to the reaction he could expect out of Ororo for beating on her brother.

In the first breath she likely would lash into Logan for "picking" on him. And in the next she would likely lash into Remy for his childish behavior in the kitchen. Neither conversation was one that Logan wanted to be witness to, let alone part of. So he held his temper and he waited. There would be a time to get even with him later.

In the meantime, there was a certain resident weather witch that he had to get revenge on for the snowball in the face a few days ago. So, like all intelligent and cunning men that had passed before him, he turned his attentions to a much more worthwhile goal: vengeance against Ororo.

He knew that Ororo would most likely expect him to get back at her. There was no way she would buy that he was letting her snowball attack slide. So he had to plan carefully. He began by asking Bobby Drake for a favor.

"Drake."

Bobby jerked slightly at Logan's gruff tone. "Yeah Logan."

Logan sighed at the look on the young man's face. "Ya ain't in any kind of trouble, I need a favor."

Bobby didn't look convinced. "What do you mean you need a favor?"

Logan grabbed his arm and dragged him down the hall. "Come on, I ain't gonna bite. Just come with me and I'll tell ya what the favor is."

A few moments later, Bobby stared in disbelief as Logan told him what he needed him to do. "You're serious."

"Course I am. So will ya do it or not?"

"Am I going to get in trouble?"

Logan sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose as he wondered when Drake had become such a damned goody two shoes. The kid used to drive him and half the adults in the mansion nearly insane with all manner of pranks. Now he was balking at helping Logan with one when no one would even know he was involved. Maybe he'd been hanging out with Scott too much.

"No, cause no one's gonna know ya helped me."

Bobby hesitated.

Logan snapped. "Just do it all ready. I don't got all day."

Bobby sighed and did as Logan asked.

Logan smiled. "Now was that so hard?"

* * *

Later that day, Logan found Ororo as she was coming out of the mansion, pulling on her gardening gloves.

Her face lit up in a brilliant smile as he strode up to her and fell in step beside her. "Hello Logan."

He reached out, putting his arm around her waist as he let her lead him along. "Hey beautiful. Where ya headin'?"

She held up her hands. "I was going to the greenhouse to work for a couple of hours. I have some plants that I am trying to force for spring that I would like to check up on. Then of course there are the poinsettias Jean asked me to grow this year that must be looked after and I must begin replanting some of the larger plants. Would you like to give me a hand?"

He scowled. "Help ya no, keep ya company yes."

She smiled, reaching for the door knob. "That will be even better."

Logan reached out, taking her hand from the doorknob and opened the door for her. He waved her ahead of him. "Ladies first."

Ororo smiled and crossed the threshold. Her foot hit the small wire that Logan had planted earlier and set off his trap. Above her head, a bucket full of ice cold water tipped over. The icy liquid, which was as near to freezing as Bobby could manage without it actually freezing it, cascaded down onto Ororo, soaking her to the skin.

She gave a startled gasp, jerking at the shock of the cold water and stood very still for several moments. Slowly she turned, her soaked clothing sticking to her body like a second skin as she pondered Logan with an icy stare.

Logan stood behind her, chuckling. "Got ya."

She gave him a strange smile. "You really think so?"

He only had a seconds warning before her eyes frosted over and she promptly formed a rain cloud over his head. He stood there for several moments ignoring the soaking rain she had covered him with.

She looked at him as she allowed the rain cloud to dissipate and began to laugh. She was still laughing when she reached out to draw him inside.

His foot hit the door, shutting it behind them.

She was still laughing as he helped her remove her soaked clothing, his lips firmly fastened to her neck as he began to dry her off and warm her up all at the same time.

* * *

Christmas was coming. Everyone at the mansion could feel it. It hung in the air like an invisible fog touching everyone and everything. No on seemed immune. The students were hanging decorations in their rooms and discussing what they had asked for that year. They walked through the halls singing carols and there was a very real sense of togetherness and family coming over everyone. 

Even the adults were feeling the joyousness of the season. Hank spent a great deal more time outside his lab, forgoing time spent on his projects to help decorate the mansion. Jean and Scott took numerous trips to the mall with students who had chosen to spend their vacation at the mansion. Even Remy and Rogue were seen building several snowman villages throughout the grounds. It seemed that everyone had caught the Christmas bug. Even Logan.

Logan usually abhorred the holiday and avoided celebrating it like the plague. It never seemed to represent a time of hope and renewal for him as it did for others. Often times, the holiday filled him with a kind of dark melancholy; a cloud of some darker emotion that usually took a couple of weeks of solitude in the wilds of Canada to break.

Logan understood the need for the holiday; hell he understood the need for all of the major holidays that he'd been forced to celebrate in the years since he'd joined the X-men. But Christmas was the only holiday that affected him emotionally.

Halloween was fun; he'd always greatly enjoyed the mythology behind the holiday. Disguising ones self to avoid detection by the darker forces of hell was something he could very easily relate to.

Thanksgiving was nice; hell he loved a good turkey dinner and an excuse to watch football all day and drink beer. And Easter wasn't so bad if you ignored the damned colored eggs brought by some demented rabbit. He even somewhat liked the fourth of July; any excuse to have a cookout with more beer was more than okay in his book. But he avoided Christmas.

He often wondered if maybe something had happened to him on that day; something that had left an echo of memory in him that still managed to affect him despite his amnesia. Maybe he'd lost someone he cared about near that time; maybe it was his way of expressing a sense of loss and homesickness for the life and possible family that he would never know. He had no way of knowing the truth.

But this was different. This year something had changed for him. Instead of being filled with a gloomy irritability when he realized that the holiday was coming up, he began to look forward to it. He felt almost eager for the day to arrive; almost as if he were a kid again looking forward to opening up his gifts on Christmas morning. He had no doubt that Ororo and Rogue were responsible for that change in him.

So for the first time that he could remember, he was looking forward to celebrating the holiday. In fact, he had even gone with Jubilee to the mall without too much of a struggle. She hadn't even had to pout once to get him to take her.

She had taken off as soon as she entered the building, yelling back that she had her cell phone if he needed to find her.

He chuckled as he watched her run off, for once enjoying her exuberance and high spirits. He spent the next hour wandering, trying to pass the time until he could drag Jubilee back to the mansion.

He'd thought to use the time to find a suitable gift for Ororo. He'd given her many gifts during the holidays over the years; the ones that he'd been home for anyway. But he wanted this year to be different, special. In years past the gifts had been simple. Things that he'd seen somewhere during his travels that had reminded him of her. Simple things that spoke of friendship and trust.

But now things were different. Now they were dating and what he felt for her was a very far cry from friendship. So he wanted to give her a gift that would show her that he thought of her as a great deal more than a friend. So far he'd had little luck.

He had been in and out of several shops and was just about to give up for the day and track down Jubilee to drag her ass back home when another store caught his eye. He stepped closer, the glitter of gold and sparkling jewels twinkling in the display lights as he pondered.

Logan knew that much of his past life was a mystery. There was a shroud in his mind that hid many of his earlier memories. It was a veil he had yet to pull aside. But there were moments in his life, even though he was unable to remember them that he knew without a doubt that he had or had not done something before.

And he knew, as he stood staring into the jewelry shop window, that he'd never before bought the woman he loved a dazzling piece of jewelry.

Oh he'd bought an engagement ring before, intending to place it on the hand of a woman he'd thought he couldn't live without. But he'd never bought something dazzling and gorgeous for a woman just for beauty's sake.

A ring had a purpose, a function. It was a mark, a symbol that told others that the woman was spoken for; that someone had claimed her as his own and the woman had accepted that claim. And while it might be beautiful, and it might bring out the beauty of the woman, it was not worn purely for the sake of beauty and pleasure.

He realized that was what he really wanted to buy for Ororo: something that was beautiful in its own right but would also look beautiful on her; something that she would wear with pleasure; something that would make her think of him. His mind made up, he entered the shop.

An unoccupied salesman approached him, flashing a brilliant smile. "Bonjour mousier. I am Jean Pierre, 'ow may I 'elp you?"

Logan stepped up to the case and began looking around. "I'm not sure. I'm looking for a gift. Somethin' special, somethin' unique."

Jean Pierre smiled. "Is it for a man or a woman?"

"It's for my girlfriend."

"Ah, we 'ave many zhings which she might enjoy. What exactly are you looking for, earrings, a pendant, a ring per'aps?"

Logan chuckled at the sly undertone and shook his head. "I think some earrings would be good."

"Very well, we 'ave a very fine selection. Would you prefer gold, silver, per'aps gemstones?"

Logan shrugged, a bit overwhelmed by the choices. "I have no idea."

"Per'aps if you described 'er to me, I might be able to suggest somezhing."

"She's tall, slender, very elegant. She has dark skin, platinum white hair and a pair of blue eyes that you easily get lost in. Like a clear summer sky after a new fallen rain."

Jean Pierre smiled. "Do you per'aps 'ave a photo?"

Logan pulled out his wallet and pulled out a small snapshot he'd had for awhile. It was a shot of Ororo when she had been unaware of the camera. She was looking off into the distance, her eyes focused faraway, a small mysterious smile on her face. He'd never figured out where it came from, or even why he carried it. But it had remained in his wallet for a long time.

The salesman looked Ororo over carefully, muttering to himself. "You are datingmadam Ororo. You 'ave exquisite taste mousier." He handed the photo back to Logan.

Logan couldn't hide his surprise at that statement. "You know her?"

"Oui, but of course. She 'as come in many times to purchase trinkets for zhe young girls zat are often with 'er." He pointed to the photograph, a slight smile on his face. "I 'ave somezhing zhat fits 'er perfectly. Let me go and get zhem."

He walked down to another small case, reached into it and pulled out a pair of earrings. He brought them back to Logan and set them on the counter before him.

Logan looked down at them in astonishment.

Before him sat a pair of tear drop shaped sapphire earrings winking at him. Their blue color changing slightly as the angle of the light shifted; moving from a dark deep rich blue the color of the ocean to a blue sky at twilight and every shade in between. They looked like two beautiful drops of water sparkling in the light of the shop.

Intrigued, Logan stared at them for several moments.

They reminded him of Ororo's brilliant blue eyes and how they changed depending on her mood. How they made him stop and take a moment to stare at her in wonder. And how easily they drew him in, and before he could stop himself, he'd fallen deep into them.

Those jewels also reminded him of how she smelled just come in from a new fallen rain. Fresh and new as if she had spun up from the very rain drops that dotted her skin. At that moment she was free, not held by Earthly ties or needs. She was something unspoiled and untouched by the evil and hatred around her.

He picked them, turning them this way and that as he watched them change hues.

He nodded to himself as he studied the gems. They would suite her very well; and they would be special enough to show her what she was beginning to mean to him.

Jean Pierre watched him study the earrings. "Zhey are beautiful, no?"

Logan nodded, still turning them, watching them sparkle in the light. "Yeah, they are." His voice was soft, thoughtful.

"Madam Ororo was in 'ere a few days ago, admiring zhem. She was very taken with zhem."

Logan smiled. He could very well believe that Ororo had been admiring the earrings. They were perfect.

"Well, mousier what do you zhink of zha stones?"

"They're perfect."

"And what of zhe setting?"

Logan shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not real crazy about it. It's the stones that catch my eye more than anythin' else."

Jean Pierre reached into a case and pulled out several other earrings. He pointed to them, and Logan studied them as well. "And so zhey should. But zha setting is meant to enhance zhe stones, not detract from zheir beauty."

Logan looked at the earrings and realized that it wasn't really the setting that bothered him; it was the metal they were set in. Everyone used gold in jewelry. It was considered by the world over to be a precious metal. But its overabundance made Logan feel that it was a commonplace material. He wanted this gift to not only make her feel special and unique, he wanted it to actually be special and unusual as well. And for that, gold simply wouldn't work.

"She doesn't wear a lot of gold; It doesn't suite her."

"You are absolutely correct i mousier /i , gold does not suite 'er. Per'aps platinum instead?"

Logan thought a moment and nodded. Platinum would suit her very well. It was the right color and it was also somewhat rare in jewelry. "That might work. How long would it take?"

Jean Pierre took the sapphire earrings from him and began filling out a receipt. "A matter of only two dayz once zhe metal for zhe setting 'as been chosen."

Logan reached for his wallet, pulling out his credit card never once asking about price. "That would be perfect. Thanks for the help Jean Pierre."

He looked up a beaming smile on his face. "You are most welcome mousier Logan."

* * *

A few days later, he was in the kitchen with Scott, Jean and Ororo discussing what to have for Christmas dinner. Everyone seemed to want turkey again but Logan was trying to veto the idea.

"Look, I like turkey as much as the next guy, but the bird we had at Thanksgiving was huge. There was so much left over, I'm still tastin' it whenever I belch."

Ororo chuckled as he brought her the glass of tea that she'd asked for. "That is so attractive Logan."

Logan shrugged as he sat down. "Well it wasn't my idea to serve a twenty plus pound bird."

"Ah, but you forget that it was not my idea to invite twenty-one people to dinner either."

Logan and Ororo both turned accusing eyes on Jean.

She held up her hands, a look of pure innocence on her face. "Let's not start playing the blame game here; Thanksgiving was my idea, the guest list was not. Having said that, does anyone have any constructive suggestions about Christmas dinner?"

There was a stiff silence in the room.

Jean sighed. "Fine, I give up. You've all got two days to come up with something. I have got to get the menu drawn up so I can figure out how much food I need."

Logan chuckled, rubbing his hands together maniacally. "Time to send Scott into the fray."

Jean turned an evil smile his way. "Actually, Scott refused to go this time; he even suggested I send you in his place."

Logan snorted. "Fat chance of that happenin'."

"Look, I need a suggestion. If this dinner isn't going to involve turkey, I need something to replace it and the side dishes to go with it. Is there anything special that anyone used to have that might be nice to have this year?"

"Does it have to be just one thing?"

Jean gave Ororo a questioning look. "What do you mean 'Ro?"

"Well, why not have everyone choose a dish that is special to them? Then, you can make that person responsible for getting the ingredients and preparing it. It will allow everyone to contribute and keep any one person from being overwhelmed."

Jean look thoughtful. "Kind of like a potluck Christmas."

"Sort of yes, but with a little more meaning I think."

Jean nodded. "I like it. I think it's a great idea. I'll start spreading the word right now. Why don't you tell me what you will be serving "Ro? That way I can start a list and have an idea of what the menu will be."

Ororo thought for a moment. "I would like to make a dessert, if I may. Something that I remember my mother making for me when I was very young."

"Alright, one dessert. What about you Logan?"

"I can do a really mean standing rib roast."

Jean looked at him in surprise for a moment. "Alright, main course settled. I'll get everyone else on board and we'll get the menu settled on. This might actually work."

* * *

Later that day, Logan ran back to the jewelry store to pick up Ororo's gift. He had left the mansion rather hurriedly. He'd even been forced to avoid Ororo when she'd spotted him from her loft room. He'd ignored her as she called after him, pretending he hadn't heard her.

Jean Pierre smiled as he walked in. "Ah, mousier Logan, I will get zhem myself. Give me but a moment." He walked into the back room and was gone for several minutes.

Logan tried not to fidget as he waited for Jean Pierre to return.

Jean Pierre suddenly appeared a small black box in his hands. "'ere zhey are. Zhey are simply stunning. Please, look."

Logan took the box from his hands and opened it and for a moment forgot to breath. Stunning wasn't the word for them, they were exquisite. The platinum they were set in brought out the blue of the sapphires to an even greater degree than before. It was almost as if they had copied Ororo's eyes, and set them in the box.

Logan closed the box. "They're perfect. Thank you."

"You are welcomemousier. Give my regards to madam Ororo and Merry Christmas. "

"I will. Merry Christmas Jean Pierre." Logan left the store whistling.

* * *

When he got back to the mansion, the box safely tucked into his coat pocket, he tried to sneak in the back to avoid detection. He wanted to tuck Ororo's gift into his room until he could con someone else into wrapping it. He knew that the store would have gladly gift wrapped it if he'd asked. But he wanted to wait until the last possible moment so he could keep admiring them. 

He opened the back door into the kitchen and silently swore when he saw Jean and Ororo sitting at the table.

"Hey Logan, we were just talking about you."

"The two of ya were sittin' alone in the kitchen talkin' 'bout me? That can't be good."

Ororo chuckled as she walked over to him and gave him a kiss. "Yes, Jean and I were trying to figure out just where you ran off to this afternoon in such a hurry."

"Just somethin' I had to do in town. Why, did I break curfew or somethin'?"

Ororo slapped his shoulder as Jean chuckled. "No."

Ororo wrapped her arms around his shoulders, looking directly in his eyes. "But I find myself wondering just what it was that would cause you to ignore me when I know very well that you could hear me."

He smiled, wondering at her public display of affection. "Ya really sure I could hear ya?"

She smiled once more, an evil glint in her eyes. "Most definitely."

"So, what do ya think I was doin'?"

"Given that Christmas is fast approaching and the fact that we are currently enamored with each other. I assume you were out shopping for a gift, for me."

Logan chuckled at her words. "In that case, I suppose this is the part where I play stupid and pretend that I've got no idea what yer talkin' 'bout?"

Ororo chuckled. "I do believe it is."

"Then I have ta say that I've no idea what you're talkin' 'bout."

Ororo dropped her arms, turning her attention back to Jean. "Jean, do try talking some sense into the man. He does not seem to understand the game." She walked to the door, leaving them in the kitchen.

"Where ya goin' darlin'?"

She stopped, smiled sweetly at him and walked out of the room.

Behind her Logan chuckled as he went to the fridge to grab something to drink. He sat down across from Jean at the table, slowly drinking from the bottle.

She leaned across the table at him, her voice low and soft. "Did you get her something?"

"Course I did. I haven't completely lost my mind."

"Can I see it?"

"What, and have you runnin' off to tell her the first chance you get? I don't think so Red."

"Really Logan, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you didn't trust me."

"It ain't ya that I don't trust Jean. It's that connivin', cunnin' woman that just left that's got me worried. I know ya wouldn't tell her, intentionally, but she has a way of wheedlin' the truth out of ya."

Jean didn't look convinced.

"Come on Jean, ya know how hard she is to surprise. Every year she tries her damnedest to find out what we buy for her. And every year someone caves and gives it up. I want to actually surprise her this year."

Jean nodded slightly. "Did you at least get her something good?"

Logan smiled, taking another sip from his soda. "Yeah, it's good."

Jean leaned forward, her tone scheming. "So don't you feel the urge to brag a little bit?"

Logan nearly laughed at the hopeful note in her voice, contemplating her out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe."

Jean leaned forward, her tone pleading and threatening at the same time. "Come on Logan, give it up."

This time Logan did laugh, even as he marveled at the conversation. A couple of months ago, they wouldn't have been able to talk like this. A couple of months ago and he wouldn't have been able to control what he said to her. A couple of months ago and he would have been trying to seduce her where she sat. It was amazing what a couple of months with Ororo could change.

"A little impatient aren't ya Red?"

She chuckled. "I can't wait to find out. Besides, I want something to hold over her for awhile. Like how she kept quiet about sleeping with you."

"So it's a bit of revenge then?"

"Damned straight. So will you tell me?"

"I don't know Red."

"Will it at least surprise her?"

"Yeah, I think this'll manage to set her on her ass."

Jean sighed loudly. It was a pitiful sound.

Logan took pity on her and pulled out the box he'd just picked up. He handed it to her without saying a word.

Jean opened it, her jaw dropping at what she saw inside. "Logan, these are absolutely gorgeous. They must have cost a fortune."

"They did. But all I could see when the salesman showed 'em to me was Ororo's eyes. They remind me so much of her eyes."

Jean nodded, agreeing with him. She tilted the earrings slowly, watching them sparkle in the light. "She is going to flip." She handed him the box.

"I know. So keep it to yourself, all right." He took it, closing it with a sharp snap.

"Oh, she isn't getting this one out of me. I want to see her face when you give her these." She reached out and touched his arm as he drank his soda.

He looked at her, seeing a strange look in her eyes.

"You did good Logan." She patted his arm and left him to his soda.

* * *

Logan's fears that Ororo would try to figure out her gifts were well founded. It was a ritual that had yet to change in all the years that he'd known her.

She was like a little kid as the holiday approached; begging and pleading for the smallest trace of hint of what her gifts might be.

Logan rather enjoyed teasing her relentlessly, giving her false clues right along with real ones to see if she could sort out the truth. And to keep her gift a secret, he kept it on his person until the Christmas eve, when he handed it to Kitty to wrap for him. Even then, he did so only because he knew that Ororo was going to be with him the entire evening and wouldn't be able to snoop.

Christmas morning dawned and Ororo woke everyone somewhat early to unwrap their gifts. She had gone a bit overboard with everyone. But then again, she gave gifts so rarely.

For Jean, she bought a beautiful red silk robe. For Scott she had put together a kit of supplies for keeping his favorite cars looking showroom new. Hank received a first edition book of poetry by his favorite poet.

And to Kurt, she gave a lovely black and white onyx rosary and a new pair of custom made sandals to wear in the monastery. For Rogue, she had bought a beautiful bomber leather jacket. Remy received a lovely trench coat and several decks of cards.

When it came time for Logan to open his presents, she smiled at him and reached behind her, handing him several boxes.

He raised his eyebrows at the gifts. "Seems like ya might've gone overboard darlin'."

She smiled, chuckling. "I could not help myself; I simply love Christmas."

He smiled with her and began opening her gifts. He was pleased to see that she had bought many of his favorite things.

There were several packages of his favorite cigars, a case of his absolute favorite beer (a brand rather difficult to come by in the United States) and premium brand of leather polish for his favorite boots. He finished the final package and turned to Ororo, kissing her cheek. "Thanks darlin', I love it. I'm surprised ya were able to get ahold of the beer though."

"Hank helped me with that one. I have one more surprise for you Logan." She reached behind the side table and pulled out a rather large, flat box. She handed it to him, a pleased look on her face.

He took it from her, raising an eyebrow at its weight.

She merely shrugged, urging him to open the box.

He opened the box and reached inside. He pulled out a new leather jacket, soft and supple as velvet, its scent filling his nostrils. He looked at it, stroking it. The leather was so soft, with such a fine grain he knew that it hadn't come cheap.

He looked over at her, a pleased expression on his face. "'Ro, this is fantastic."

She watched him, a pleased expression on her face when he slid it on. "I noticed that your favorite jacket had become quite threadbare and worn. And while I do not expect you to discard it for this one, I thought you could use something new."

The jacket felt smooth and soft against his skin. He slid his hand down the front of it relishing its texture. "Thanks 'Ro."

"You are very welcome tough guy."

Smiling Logan reached into his pocket, pulling the small box from his pocket. "Merry Christmas Ororo."

"Oh Logan. How thoughtful." She eagerly unwrapped the small box he had given her, saving the bow by placing it on her head.

Logan chuckled at the picture she painted, her hair full of bows, a look of concentration on her face as she tore the paper.

She opened the box and her mouth fell open in surprise and awe. She looked up at him, sheer delight written on her face as she reached into the small box and pulled out the sapphire earrings he had picked out.

She held them up, letting them twinkle in the light. "Logan, these are absolutely breathtaking."

"Yeah, they are." Logan looked at her, not talking about the earrings.

She blushed slightly and pulled the earrings from the box to put them in her ears.

He watched her, enjoying the sight of the sapphires sparkling on her delicate earlobes. He felt a surge of desire fill him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him tenderly.

"Logan, this is too much; this must have cost you a fortune."

"It was worth it; just ta see the smile on yer face right now. They match yer eyes."

Ororo reached up to touch them, a trace of disbelief on her face. "They are truly lovely Logan, I will treasure them; always."

"I'm glad you like them."

She reached out, touching his chest lightly, her voice low and only for him. "And later, when we go to bed, I will wear them and nothing else." Her soft voice caressed his ears seductively.

He growled, drawing her close, his lips melting against hers. He had to fight down the desire her words evoked as he pulled back from her.

Her face was flushed, her eyes sparkling as brightly as the earrings. She reached up to touch his stubbled face gently.

"Merry Christmas Logan."

"Merry Christmas Ororo."


	20. Downtime

Summary: Christmas day is celebrated and passes. Soon after minor injuries for one member of the team during a simple mission gone bad pushes another to make a sudden decision about their relationship. And Jean decides that they all need a night of dancing and drinking. Enjoy everyone and please review!

Author's Note: Hello avid fans! I finally finished this chapter and I must say it is mostly unabashedly Ro/Lo with some Jean and Scott thrown in. I also couldn't resist poking some fun at Scott. So read and enjoy.

* * *

Christmas dinner, unlike Thanksgiving went off without a hitch, and without the main course exploding. Of course that might have been because anytime Remy made an appearance in the kitchen, he found Logan growling, claws unsheathed as he stood in the doorway. After the first couple of attempts, Remy wisely turned his attentions to tormenting others.

Everyone enjoyed the variety of dishes that had been prepared by their fellow teammates. Despite the eclectic collection of food, it all blended well. Hank had prepared a cheesy potato dish, Jean and Scott had collaborated to make the yams, Kurt had contributed a German dish that was greatly enjoyed at the monastery, while Bobby and Kitty had provided the vegetables. Xavier and Ororo had provided all the desserts and Remy had made a pot of his gumbo, which Scott and Hank wisely avoided. Even Rogue had contributed, making the rolls from scratch.

Logan was glad to see her come out of her room and join them for dinner. He had been watching her closely for any sign of improvement. He was hoping that her willingness to come to dinner with the rest of her surrogate family meant that she was taking the first steps toward forgiving herself. But he'd simply wait and see for sure.

The rest of the day passed in relative peace as people moved from room to room entertaining themselves, eating, laughing and simply enjoying the chance to spend time with each other.

Logan and Ororo spent a great deal of the day together. It was rare that they were able to spend so much time with each other in one day and they planned to take advantage of it. Once the holidays were past, they both knew that things would likely get hectic again very quickly.

Everyone was in high spirits and spent the day playing cards, shooting pool, watching football, eating and drinking and just being together as a family. There was even another snowball fight between most of the adults in the mansion. Although this time, Ororo and Logan decided to be on the same team rather than against each other.

The two of them even played several card games with Scott and Jean. But Scott decided that he didn't want to play against Logan when they realized that the feral mutant could smell someone bluffing a mile away.

Logan pointed out that Jean was a telepath and could easily look at everyone's cards. Everyone knew that she wouldn't, but she still could. The revelation didn't mollify Scott and they decided to have a nice friendly game of pool instead.

The friendly game did little to improve Scott's mood as it quickly turned from friendly to cutthroat. After beating him for the third time, Scott walked away, muttering under his breath.

Ororo simply laughed, teasing him while Jean simply shrugged her shoulders and continued playing. Everyone knew that Scott was just a little bit competitive and sometimes couldn't hide his disappointment when he lost. Scott's bad mood did little to hinder the rest of them from having a wonderful day and most of the others ignored him.

Logan even swallowed his anger and played with Remy and Bobby. But there was still an obvious tension between the two and their anger hung heavy in the air. No one commented on it, but everyone noticed it, and everyone but Jean wondered at its source.

They residents of the mansion stayed up late into the night, not wishing to give up the feeling of normalcy that pervaded the mansion that day. For that brief moment in time they were able to forget what they were, what they had chosen to do. They could forget about the enemies they had around the world, both human and mutant. And simply enjoy and relish in the presence of their family.

But it could not last forever. Slowly, they began to drift away, alone or in pairs, seeking their beds and sleep. Slowly choruses of "Good night" and "Merry Christmas" dwindled from less and less people as their group slowly shrank. Finally, only Logan and Ororo were left downstairs.

They were snuggled up on the sofa. Logan was lying back against the arm of the couch, Ororo draped across him, her head resting on his chest.

She sighed as his hand fell down to her back, stroking lazy patterns across it as they watched an old black and white movie together.

Logan wasn't even really paying attention to the movie. It was nothing more than a minor distraction taking his attention from the woman in his arms. He was focused on the feel of her lying against him as she laughed quietly at the plot of the movie. He took a deep breath, drawing in her unique scent and felt a wave of contentment wash over him. It had been a very good day.

"It was a wonderful day." Her voice was quiet, slightly muffled because she hadn't taken her eyes off the movie as she spoke.

Logan grunted softly.

Ororo turned her attention from the movie and turned her face to look up him. "Did you enjoy yourself today Logan?"

Logan thought on the day for a moment wondering how to answer it. He realized he had felt very content for the first time in a long time. He had given a very special gift to a very special person in his life. He had cooked for and spent time with a group of people that had long ago become like family to him. And he had enjoyed a holiday that normally drove him into hiding. And he also realized Ororo was responsible for all of it.

"Yeah, I had a good time."

She smiled, kissing him softly before she turned her attention back to the movie. A few moments later, the movie finished and the credits began rolling across the screen.

Logan sighed loudly as he shut off the TV. He had been enjoying himself, simply holding her against him. "It's gettin' late, we should probably head up to bed ourselves."

Ororo stood, letting him up, a strange look in her eye. "I am not really tired yet. I had another idea."

Logan stood, feeling the look in her eyes pull at something inside of him. He could feel his beast waking up slightly. It was still quiet and it did not rise, but he could feel it watching and waiting. "And what was yer idea darlin'?"

She reached out to touch him, splaying her hands across his chest stroking her way across it as she leaned into him. "There is fresh snowfall outside."

Logan chuckled, the sparkle in his eyes unmistakable. "Yeah, I noticed that. As I recall, this one's all you."

Ororo chuckled slightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "If I remember correctly that is because someone was doing wicked things with his mouth and hands."

Logan reached up to wrap his arms around her, pulling her close, her scent washing over him as he remembered the night before; the feel of her, the smell of her, the sound of her as she came apart in his arms. The memories alone could have given a saint pause.

"Ya started that one darlin'. Ya were wicked first. Propositioning me right in the kitchen. Man, what would the students think if they'd seen ya last night? I didn't even know ya could dance like that. Why didn't ya ever tell me ya were so uninhibited?"

She giggled, even as Logan smiled. "If you liked that suggestion Logan, you will absolutely love this one."

Logan's eyebrows shot up, even as he felt his beast rise slightly in him. "I'm all ears."

"I was thinking that it might be nice to take a stroll in the woods in the new fallen snow."

Logan couldn't seem to hide his disappointment. "Sounds kinda innocent darlin'."

She dropped her arms and turned from to walk towards the doorway. She turned to look back at him, her smile seductive and innocent all at the same time. "Did I forget to mention that clothing is forbidden on this little stroll?"

He chuckled even as he followed her out of the room. "Yeah, ya forgot to mention that part."

They reached the door, and she stopped, her hand on the knob as he came up behind her. She turned her head slightly to look at him out of the corner of her eye. "Is that wicked enough for you Logan?"

He put his hand on the door, preventing her from opening it. He leaned against her, trapping her against the door. His breath washed across her neck and ear and he felt her shiver. "It will be, when I've got ya against a tree, havin' my way with ya."

She wrenched the door open and ran out into the night, calling a challenge over her shoulder. "Promises, promises."

Logan smiled as he followed her, towards the tree line behind the gardens. He came around a hedge and watched her duck into the woods, shedding her clothing as she went. He smiled and followed suite. It had been a really good day.

* * *

A sense of peace and contentment fell over the mansion and all those that lived there for the next few days. The students who had stayed behind were all smiles and were seen spending time with each other without any bickering. In fact, they seemed to be getting along without any effort at all. 

And this sense of peace didn't stop with the adults either. Scott and Jean were seen walking hand in hand around the gardens several times laughing and talking quietly. Logan and Ororo were seen meditating together and even Warren and Betsy were much more affectionate with each other.

But no matter how much they wanted it to, the peace could not last and the outside world once again intruded on them. Five days after Christmas, Xavier called a meeting in his office for his four senior members.

"You needed to see us Professor?"

Xavier looked up as Jean, Scott, Ororo and Logan filed into the room. "Yes Scott. I have a minor mission for the four of you." He waved his hand for everyone to take a seat.

"Retrieval?"

Xavier shook his head as everyone sat down. "No, not this time. This one is more along the lines of protective duty."

Logan sat on the edge of the desk. "We're gonna be a bunch of glorified body guards?"

"This time yes. A mutant rights rally is being held in Central Park today. I would like you to go there and insure that the protestors to this rally do not get out of hand and hurt someone."

Ororo stood next to Logan, her face puzzled. "You have never asked this of us before. Why is this rally so very important?"

"Because it is being led by a former colleague of mine who is in fact hiding that he himself is a mutant. I would very much like to insure that he is not injured or exposed if a riot should ensue."

Logan snorted. "What do ya mean if? These things seem to attract rioters like carrion attracts vultures."

Ororo slapped his shoulder lightly. "What an apt description Logan."

He gave her sly smile. "Thanks darlin'."

Scott spoke up, his mind as always on the mission; no matter the form of it. "Are we going in under cover?"

Xavier nodded. "Yes, no uniforms."

Logan couldn't hide his sarcasm. "Damn I was looking forward to the leather jumpsuit."

Xavier's reply was dry. "Sorry to disappoint you Logan. The rally starts in a few hours; you should have plenty of time to get there and get under cover. I am sure I have no need to remind you to be discrete. Do not reveal your presence unless you have no other choice. Good luck, and return safely."

* * *

During the short flight to Central Park, the four members of the team decided that it would be safer to split up. They would be able to cover more of the crowd that way but still stay within visual range of each other. They were equipped with com links but were only to use them in an emergency.

Scott managed to land the jet in a secluded area near enough to the rally but still far enough away so as not to draw attention.

Logan waited for the others to leave the jet first, Jean, then Scott and finally Ororo filed out of the blackbird a few minutes apart. He followed nearly twenty minutes behind her and approached the growing crowd directly.

He glanced around, seeing Scott near the stage, Jean was off to the north and Ororo was just south of her. The crowd continued to grow until finally the speaker appeared. Logan paid him or the words that he said little mind, his eyes continuously scanning the crowd for threats.

He stood there for over twenty minutes before he slowly began mingling further into the crowd. Others were moving in and out as well, their interest wavering while the speaker droned on. He crossed his arms over his chest fighting a wave of boredom when a new scent wafted across his nose.

He stilled, his arms falling to his sides, ready for action at a moments notice. He turned in a slow circle, acting as if he were searching for someone. He caught sight of Ororo nearby and headed for her just as the scent wafted to him again. His nostrils flared slightly.

There was something strange about the scent. It was sickeningly sweet, cloying and he had no trouble recognizing it. Someone in the audience was nervous and sweating like a pig. His nostrils flared again and the smell grew stronger as its source approached him.

He reached Ororo, touching her lightly.

She turned to him, a questioning look on her face.

"Play along darlin'. I think someone's tryin' ta spook us."

She smiled then at him and wrapped her arms around him, drawing him close.

Logan turned back to the stage, his arm draped around her waist, his senses on high alert. Then another scent, similar to the first and with traces of the first underlying it reached his nose. His nostrils flared as the two scents slowly circled him. He looked around again and saw two heads moving around, paying absolutely no attention to the crowd.

"They're circling us, slowly. And there's more of them. Dammit this thing is going south on us. We've been made." He touched his wrist, speaking softly as Ororo kissed his face, using her hair to hide it as he spoke. "Cyclops, pull back. The rioters are targeting us."

Logan saw Scott slowly make his way to the edge of the crowd and Jean did the same in the opposite direction.

Scott's soft reply came back a second later. "Copy that Logan. Everyone split up and regroup back at the blackbird."

Logan pulled back from Ororo, a fake smile pasted on his face. "Storm, head north and then circle around to the jet. I'll lead these guys off, away from us."

"All right. I will see you back at the jet. Be safe." She kissed him quickly and disappeared into the crowd.

Logan watched her leave for a few moments, keeping close track of the men as they tightened the circle. He moved towards the stage hurriedly trying to create a distraction. He reached the stage and pushed against it, eyeing security as they approached him.

He smiled at them, and slid along the stage, away from the rally. He wasn't surprised when the group followed him closer, trying to contain him. He reached the edge of the stage and moved even further away and security fell back.

Logan left the rally at a slow jog. Glancing back he noticed six men leaving the crowd from different locations and beginning to follow him. Smiling wolfishly, he began a cat and mouse game, leading them further and further away from both the rally and the hidden jet.

* * *

Ten minutes later, he had managed to lose most of them in the depths of the park and was circling back around to where Scott had landed the jet. Suddenly he felt Jean inside his head, her mental projection filled with pain and fear. He winced, grabbing his head at the intensity and surprise of it, stumbling slightly. Then, it was gone, her voice suddenly silent. 

In the next instant Scott's voice sounded in his ear, clipped and precise. "Code Red. Everyone get back now."

Logan started jogging again directly towards the jet, not bothering to hide what he'd done. "What happened ta Jean, Cyclops?"

Scott's reply was tense and angered. "Get your ass back here Wolverine or we're leaving you behind."

Logan recognized the tone and shook his head, irritated and unable to resist a dig at their leader. "Don't get yer panties twisted Scooter, I'm nearly there."

* * *

Logan raced into the clearing, smelling two of the rioters coming up behind him. The jet was ready for takeoff, Ororo standing at the rear door, watching for him.

He raced up the ramp, shielding her as he shoved her into the plane. He hadn't smelled gunpowder on the men; but then he hadn't gotten close enough to be sure either. He didn't want to take any chances on whether or not they were armed and no wish to give them a target either.

He reached out, slamming the button to raise the door, shouting at Scott. "Get us the hell outta here Scooter." The jet began lifting off the ground. "Can ya cover us darlin'?"

She nodded, her eyes whitening as a bank of fog suddenly formed around the plain and a large portion of the park. A moment later, she stepped over to Jean, who lay on a medical gurney.

Logan stepped over to Ororo who was tending Jean who was still unconscious. He gazed at her pale, still form, the worry in his face. "What happened 'Ro?"

Ororo removed the gauze from a wound on Jean's side, to check if the bleeding had stopped. "I am not sure. But, from what I gathered from Jean's projection, she and Scott had met up just outside the crowd. They returned to the jet together. They were just outside the tree line when two men jumped out at them. One of them got lucky and managed to wound Jean with a knife. It is merely a flesh wound and I have already stopped the bleeding. I do not believe they were rioters; just a couple of punks looking for trouble."

"So why's she unconscious?"

Ororo shrugged, as she bandaged the wound. "I do not know. The professor and Hank will need to examine her."

Logan touched her arm lightly, feeling her tremble slightly. "Are ya all right darlin'?"

"Yes, I had no problems arriving here unseen."

Logan let his hand drop. That hadn't been what he'd been asking about and they both knew it. But if she didn't want to talk about right then, he wouldn't push.

"Good ta hear."

The jet gave a sudden jerk as it finished ascending and Scott jammed the throttle forward. The sudden acceleration threw them all backward, causing them to lose their footing. Logan wrapped his arms around Ororo, taking the brunt of her fall against him.

He cursed loudly as he got to his feet and helped her up as well. "I will stay with Jean. Go up front and try to calm him down. This will not help us reach the mansion in one piece."

Logan nodded and walked towards the cockpit. He threw himself into the co-pilot seat and eyed Scott.

Scott sat in the pilot's seat ignoring him, his gaze intent on flying them home as fast as possible.

"Ease up would ya Scott? Ya nearly threw us outta the back of the damn jet."

Scott looked at him and Logan mentally flinched.

Logan couldn't see the other man's eyes but he knew that fierce set to his jaw. He'd had that look on his face a few weeks ago when Ororo had been injured in the car accident. He felt for the younger man, he really did. So he did the only thing he knew would get through to him; he tried understanding.

He reached out and touched Scott's shoulder, gripping it firmly. "She ain't hurt bad; the bleeding's already stopped. Ororo said it's just a flesh wound. She's gonna be fine. But if you want to be a cowboy up here, she might end up hurt after all. You don't want that do ya?"

Scott shook his head.

"Good, then take us home, nice and easy."

* * *

Jean regained consciousness moments before they landed. She seemed coherent and didn't appear to be hurt but she had no idea why she'd passed out.

Scott landed the jet in the hangar and didn't even wait for the engines to finish powering down before he raced to Jean's side.

"Are you all right?" His voice was full of concern and worry. His eyes rested on the large white bandage that Ororo had taped to her side. He touched it gently as he looked at her.

"I'm fine Scott; embarrassed, but fine."

"You could've been killed. Why'd you throw yourself in front of him like that?"

"I didn't see the knife and I didn't want you to use your powers against them, they weren't rioters."

"I could've handled it."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I just reacted."

Scott opened his mouth as if to say something more when Logan came up to him.

"Look, this ain't helpin' anybody. Let's get her out of the jet and into Hank and Chuck's hands before you decide to ream her ass out for doing somethin' reckless."

Scott's mouth tightened slightly but he nodded and reached down to help Jean down the ramp to where Hank and Charles were waiting.

Inside the jet, Ororo turned to Logan and he wordlessly wrapped his arms around her and simply held her.

* * *

"Logan, I need your help."

Logan looked up at Scott as he walked into the garage, wiping his hands on a nearby grease rag.

A few hours had passed since their return and Hank and the Professor had begun running tests on Jean. Since then, Ororo had opted to sit with Scott while they waited for word as to why she had passed out like she had.

Logan had encouraged her to go, knowing that Scott would greatly appreciate it. And it would make Ororo feel useful as well. Logan in the mean time had decided to seek refuge in the garage, puttering around with a car that no one could seem to get running.

"There's a first, you askin' me for help."

Scott sighed as he walked up to the car that Logan was working on, glancing at the engine. "You aren't going to make this easy for me are you?"

Logan snorted, throwing the rag down as he began putting away the tools he'd been using. "No, I'm a pain in the ass that way. Whattcha need?"

Scott ran his hands through his hair, suddenly nervous. "I'm going to ask Jean to marry me."

Logan waited, wondering just what that had to do with him. "And?"

Scott couldn't seem to hide his surprise. "You're not upset about this?"

"What did ya think I would be?"

"Well, yeah. I mean you said you loved her not that long ago. Hell, you've spent every waking moment since we've met trying to seduce her away from me."

Logan met his eyes unflinchingly. He would never apologize for loving Jean; it was something he'd had no control over; something as vital to his well being as breathing. And he wouldn't feel guilty about flirting with her either; it was his way. Something he did with women who were important to him and were part of his life.

But Scott had never understood that and had in fact felt threatened by it. And that reaction had caused Logan to push the boundaries even further in an effort to jerk his chain and piss him off. He'd been unable to resist; it had just been far too easy.

But no matter how intense and suggestive the flirting had been, there had been one constant in his relationship with Jean: Scott. No matter what Logan had done, no matter what he promised or the sexual buttons he'd pushed she had always turned back to Scott.

"Yeah, and she still chose you every time."

Scott thought for a few moments and nodded. "Yeah, she did."

"Besides, I ain't in love with her anymore. At least not like that. I still care about her and I want to see that she's happy. But what I felt before, it ain't there anymore."

A strange look came over Scott's face as he looked at Logan. "You're in love with Ororo aren't you?"

Logan sighed, wondering just who else might have guessed how he really felt about her. "Yeah I am."

Scott's voice wasquiet as he asked. "Have you told her?"

Logan shook his head. "No, I haven't, so keep it ta yerself."

"Thanks for being honest about it."

Logan tossed the grease rag back onto the table and leaned into the car. "Can't lie bout it forever."

"You're going to have to tell her sometime."

Logan turned around, closing down as he stared at the younger man. The last thing that he needed was advice on his love life from Scott. "Didn't ya come in here for somethin'?"

Scott smiled at the annoyance in his voice. "Yeah I did."

"Well spit it out Scooter yer wasin' my life away here." Logan growled.

"Look this is going to sound stupid, but I've been thinking about asking Jean for a while now. I even bought a ring awhile ago but never got around to popping the question."

Something in his tone of voice clicked inside of Logan. There was doubt in his mind, but not about asking Jean to marry him. "And now you don't think its good enough."

Scott nodded. "Yeah. I thought it was when I bought it but now I'm not so sure."

"So what do ya want me to do, hold yer hand while you pick another one out?"

"No. But I don't know any jewelers that could give me something good enough for her. I want something unique and everything I see isn't. I saw the earrings you gave Ororo; they were perfect for her. I want something that's perfect for Jean."

Now Logan began to understand. "Yer talkin' about the guy that did Ororo's Christmas present aren't ya?"

"Yeah, I am."

Logan sighed, grabbing his jacket from its hook. "He's a bit expensive, ya sure 'bout this?"

"Were you sure when you bought the earrings?"

Logan sighed, nodding. "Come on, I'll take ya down there and we'll talk to him. And grab a picture of Jean, would ya?"

All of the tension seemed to leave him as he followed Logan out of the garage. "Thanks Logan."

Logan snorted. "Don't mention it. And I really mean that."

* * *

"Ah mousier Logan, 'ow good to see you again. Tell me, did madam Ororo love 'er gift?"

Logan walked up to the jewelry counter, leaning against it. "Yeah she did, thanks."

"Zhen 'ow may I 'elp you today?"

"I need an engagement ring."

"Really?" There was a light of astonishment in his eyes.

"It ain't for Ororo, it's for a friend of mine." He turned and waved Scott over. "This is Scott."

Again there was a strange light in Jean Pierre's eyes and Logan couldn't quite place it. But for some reason, the look didn't make him feel very good.

"Mousier Logan you are quite zhe devil. Does madam Ororo know of zhis?"

Scott's mouth dropped open at his words.

Logan stood there, hanging his head while he resisted the urge to reach across the counter and strangle the Frenchman.

He looked back up at Jean Pierre and snapped. "It ain't for us . It's for his girlfriend."

Jean Pierre chuckled, smiling. "Ah, so sorry. I 'ave forgotten that Americans are not as…open minded as zhe French are." He turned to Scott, a strange smirk on his face.

Logan realized that Jean Pierre had simply been yanking his chain.

Jean Pierre turned to Scott, his face and tone suddenly all business. "What exactly are you looking for?"

* * *

Scott picked out a lovely ring and left it to be engraved.

Logan watched in fascination while Jean Pierre worked his magic and like him, Scott simply pulled out his credit card without argument. He mentally chuckled at the flabbergasted look on his face.

Charles and Hank were waiting for the two of them when they returned. Some of the preliminary test results on Jean had already come back. The results were a bit baffling.

"Her mutation is, for lack of a better word, evolving."

Scott looked confused. "What do you mean, 'evolving'?"

Charles waved at Hank to explain.

"Mutation as rule manifests itself at the onset of puberty. There are several theories that the sudden hormonal change within young teenagers triggers some latent genes inside our DNA, activating them and causing them to become dominant. And this is true of nearly 99 of the mutant population."

Again Scott couldn't hide his confusion. "What about the other 1?"

Hank adjusted his glasses, studying some of the papers on his lap. "There are rare cases where the mutation activates much sooner than puberty; likely due to some great stress. Ororo's mutation would be a prime example of just such an occurrence."

"What's this got to do with Jean?"

"Jean came into her powers also at a young age, and she came into them through a very devastating trauma."

Charles spoke up. "She witnessed her best friend get struck by a car and killed. In essence, Jean was linked with the girl when she died."

Scott didn't show any surprise at the revelation; being Jean's boyfriend he'd probably known for awhile.

Logan on the other hand couldn't hide his surprise. "How old was she?"

"Eight years old."

Scott interrupted, growing impatient. "But what's this got to do with what happened?"

"Ah, I am getting to that. In normal cases, where the mutation manifests during puberty, it is stable. It undergoes no changes and there are no sudden growth spurts of power or capability. But this is not often the case with those whose powers manifested much earlier or due to a severely traumatic incident.

"In nearly all cases studied on this phenomenon, there is a change in both the strength and nature of the abilities of the mutant. Often new abilities that stem from the old are gained. And the old abilities become stronger, more potent." Henry took off his glasses, meeting the eyes of every man in the room. "In other words gentlemen, Jean is becoming a much more powerful mutant."

"That's why she passed out."

"Precisely."

"Will she be alright?"

"I am going to run some more tests, but I see no reason why she should not be. All the preliminary tests I've run show only a slight increase in her abilities."

Logan watched all of the tension simply flow out the man. He reached up to grab his shoulder, fearing that Scott might simply collapse at his feet in relief. "Are ya finished with her Hank?"

"Yes, for now, and she would like to see you Scott."

* * *

Jean was released later that day with the order to report back to Hank if she felt even the slightest bit strange. The cut she had received was indeed minor and required only four stitches. Having been cleared, she ran off with Ororo to her greenhouse where they barred the door and refused to let anyone in for the next couple of hours.

Scott had wanted to be with her but Jean had simply shook her head and told him to go play with Logan. He'd stood in the hallway, speechless for several minutes before walking away, muttering to himself.

Logan waited on the patio, smoking a few of the cigars Ororo had given him for Christmas. He acted like he was simply out enjoying the crisp winter air and a good smoke. But the truth of it was, he was doing some simple recon on the girls.

He knew that by herself, Ororo could be cunning, sly, manipulative, devious and just plain sneaky. It was an aspect of her personality that he just loved to see at work; so long as it wasn't directed his way. But he also knew that together with Jean, those same attributes became disturbingly sinister to him and everyone around him. More often then not, pointing directly at him and Scott.

He didn't give a damn about Scott; it was a dog eat dog world and the man could look after himself. But Logan wasn't about to walk blindly into the fray with those two sirens; not without some clue as to what they might be planning. So he sat and made a pretense of smoking and he waited to see what was going on.

* * *

Inside the greenhouse, Jean and Ororo were sharing some quiet time after the stress of the mission and Jean's injuries. Of course, quiet time was a relative term. They were at that moment helplessly laughing at some shared memory.

Ororo was laughing so hard that she had been forced to set one of her plants aside for fear that she might cause it injury.

"I don't see how you could blame any of it on me. I wasn't even there at the time."

"Yes, well the idea was originally yours. And as I recall, at the time your leaving was a strange coincidence."

"Coincidence?"

"Do not play innocent with me Miss Grey. I know your devious mind too well for that to work."

"When it comes to being devious I've got nothing on you."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"I had a conversation with Logan. Him calling you devious is very rare praise."

"Indeed it is."

There was a moment of silence between the two friends as Ororo finished with the final plant and brushed dirt off her hands. She turned back to Jean, a thoughtful look on her face.

As if reading her mind, Jean reached out and grabbed her hand.

Then Ororo chuckled as she realized that with their link, Jean probably had read her mind.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Her voice was quiet and there was no doubt that she knew what was going through Ororo's mind.

"You gave us quite a scare Jean."

Jean smiled slightly, squeezing her hand firmly. "I'm sorry about that."

"This is very silly. You were not badly injured and yet both Scott and I are reacting as if the injuries were life threatening. Did you react this way when I had my accident?"

Jean shook her head. "No, but then I've got an advantage. I have a link with you and with Scott that allows me to not only sense you but get an idea of your general well being. So when you had your accident, I knew that you were all right before I even left the mansion."

Ororo chuckled. "Some would call that cheating Jean."

"Yeah well it worked. I kept the men folk from panicking didn't I?"

"Yes you did. But all joking aside, I was still worried."

Jean smiled taking her other hand. "Of course you were. You wouldn't be like a sister to me if you didn't worry when I did something stupid. But I'm all right now; at least physically. Mentally, I'm never too sure about."

Ororo chuckled again. "For that I am extremely grateful. I am not sure what we would do without you." Her eyes grew glossy as she fought the urge to cry. Outside the weather became overcast and gloomy, the air heavy with the promise of rain.

Jean reached out and drew her close, embracing her firmly as Ororo did the same. "I'm not leaving you guys anytime soon 'Ro. Lord knows this place would fall apart without me."

Ororo chuckled as they pulled apart, wiping the unshed tears from her eyes as they weather changed once more to the bright and sunny day it had been.

Jean let her hands drop as she stood suddenly. "Enough of this soul searching today. I feel like going out and celebrating. Let's celebrate New Year's in style this year."

"What do you have in mind?"

"We haven't gone dancing in awhile. What do you say to that?"

"I say yes. But do think we can convince the men to go with us?"

Jean chuckled as they turned and headed for the door. "I think that should be no problem. Especially if Betsy gets Warren to come. Let's go talk to her right now."

"And you called me devious."

They exited the greenhouse laughing. They noticed Logan on the patio, smoking and watching them with a scowl on his face. For some reason this made them laugh even harder as they approached the house.


	21. Letting Go and Cutting Loose

Summary: Six of the mansion residents decide to spend New Years Eve at a local club. One asks a very important question, one simply lets go and the other four, well they just seem to be along for the ride. Enjoy everyone and please review!

* * *

Six of the mansion residents decide to spend New Years Eve at a local club. One asks a very important question, one simply lets go and the other four, well they just seem to be along for the ride. Enjoy everyone and please review! 

"I don't know how ya do it 'Ro. I just don't know how ya do it."

"Are you still babbling out there Logan?"

Logan and Ororo were once more in her loft room, preparing for bed. She was currently in the bathroom, brushing her teeth by the noise of running water and the smell of mint on the air. He was lying back against her headboard thinking back on the rest of the day.

The day had ended relatively peacefully, despite its rather chaotic beginning. And despite the chaotic whirlwind that had rushed from the greenhouse and into the mansion in the form of Jean and Ororo and their demands to go dancing on New Year's Eve. They had come inside, determined and stubborn as hell, meaning to get their way no matter what it took.

It had taken only an hour of browbeating to wear down Scott and Logan and get them to accede to their demands. It had taken far less time to get Betsy on board with the idea. And only an instant for her to convince Warren that it would also be in his best interests to simply go along for the ride.

Warren, being the intelligent and rational human being that he was realized that simply giving in without a fight was probably in the best interest of his continued mental and physical health.

Of course, Logan and Scott had seen it the exact same way, but they had enjoyed messing with Jean and Ororo until finally giving in.

"One of these days yer gonna have ta explain just how ya manage ta get all of us ta do just whatever ya want. Even when none of us have any intention of goin'along with ya in the first place." He turned to look at her as she stepped out of the bathroom.

She had a strange smile on her face as she leaned against the wall, watching him as he watched her. "As I told you before Logan, the sooner you realize that I have you under my complete control, the sooner the humiliation will end."

He laughed as she pushed away from the wall and sat next to him on the bed. He reached out, taking her hand in his, twining his fingers through his. "Did I ever tell ya that I find it sexy as hell when yer devious and sly?" He pulled her towards him, nibbling her neck gently.

She chuckled even as she leaned into his caress. "Really Logan, is the thought of taking me out dancing so repellant to you that you think I must be devious to get my way?"

Logan pulled back, smiling as he chuckled. "Hell no 'Ro. I just think ya used it as an excuse is all."

She chuckled again as his hands began to wander over her body once more. "You are a very fast learner."

He reached up to shut off the light, pulling her down into the bed next to him. "I try darlin'."

* * *

The days until New Year's passed quickly and peacefully. And a short time before they were to leave, Ororo was in her room getting ready while Remy pestered her about how she had decided to spend her evening. 

"Remy had hoped to spend da evening wit Marie and his Stormy. You do not have to go dancing wit da Wolverine to have a good time." His voice held a slightly peevish tone; almost like a child annoyed at being denied something he had demanded.

Ororo rolled her eyes slightly as she continued to fix her hair and makeup at her vanity. She looked at her brother's reflection as he sat on her bed, juggling several sharp knives. She had always admired the deft skill he exhibited when he juggled but now the habit was simply annoying her because she knew that he was trying to distract her.

"I do wish that you would call Logan by his name. And one day soon you will have to tell me just what it is that you do not like about him."

Remy caught the knives and put them away in various hidden locations on his person. He met Ororo's eyes in the mirror and shrugged. "He is dating Remy's sister. Remy is not happy 'bout dat."

Ororo put the finishing touches on her face and hair and stood, facing him. "Be that as it may, brother dear, we have had this conversation before and as I recall I told you to kindly butt out."

Remy's lips thinned slightly and his eyes narrowed but he simply nodded.

Ororo reached behind him grabbing her jacket from the bed. As she straightened, she touched his cheek and gave him a kiss on his forehead. She smiled at his quiet sigh. "I know that it bothers you that I am seeing anyone, let alone that the man I am dating is Logan. But he makes me happy. All I ask is that you be happy that I am happy. Can you do that for me?"

Remy nodded, a sly smile floating across his face as he reached up to touch her hand which still rested on his cheek. "Remy is happy dat you are happy."

Ororo smiled at him, straightening up and heading for the door. "Good. Keep an eye on the other students and call mine or Jean's cell if anything goes wrong."

"Yes 'Cher."

She smiled again and walked out the door to meet everyone else downstairs.

* * *

Jean and Betsy were waiting in the foyer with Scott and Warren when she came down the stairs. Jean and Betsy were laughing and talking excitedly and when they caught sight of her they drew her into their circle and the three of them began to talk at once. 

Behind them Scott and Warren sighed and shook their heads.

Logan began coming down the stairs a few moments later, a cigar in one hand, his Stetson in the other. He paused on the landing, a strange look on his face as he watched Ororo, Jean and Betsy talking and laughing. He didn't even turn his head when Remy approached him quietly.

"What do ya want Cajun?"

Remy shrugged as he too looked at the scene down below. "Remy is not happy. Ororo is, but Remy is not."

Logan put his cigar in mouth and chewed the end lightly, feeling the tobacco inside press together and crunch as he applied pressure. He grunted at Remy's words. "Don't see how that has anythin' ta do with me."

"You are dating Remy's sister. It does not make him happy."

Logan snorted. "I told ya before Gumbo, that's yer problem not mine."

Remy's heated whisper was as loud as if he'd shouted in Logan's ear. "Stop seeing her Logan."

Logan couldn't hide his surprise as he looked at Remy. "What?"

Remy stepped closer, his eyes full of heated rage. "You heard Remy da first time."

"Yer damned right I did but I can't believe ya'd think I'd listen."

"Dere need be not'ing more between you, no more hatred between us. Just walk away from her."

Logan turned to face him, pointing a finger at the younger man, his cigar clenched between two fingers. "Listen ta me and listen ta me good Swamp Rat. I told ya before and I'm tellin' ya again, I ain't steppin' outta her life on yer say so. If ya don't want ta see us together, then stay away from her when I'm around and ya won't have ta. But if ya keep pushin' me, I'm gonna start pushin' back and it's gonna get bloody between us. Ya got that?"

Remy's fists clenched against his sides. "Don't force Remy to make you leave her."

Logan smiled, a chilling smile he'd often used to intimidate his enemies. He knew the feel of it on his face and hated that it came so easily to him at that moment to use against the younger, misguided fool in front of him. "Kid, the day ya can force me ta do anythin'll be the day I eat my hat." He placed said hat on his head and took a step down the stairs.

Remy's voice stopped him. "Do not test me Logan. You will stay away from her, Remy will see to dat. No matter what it takes."

Logan put the cigar in his mouth, turning to face him one last time.

"Dream on Gumbo. Bigger men then ya have tried gettin' me ta do what they wanted and they're all dead. Don't make me add ya ta the list." He turned leaving Remy behind on the stairs as he walked down them to join the group. He smiled as Ororo reached out to him, a strange look on her face.

"Logan is everything all right?"

Logan shrugged wondering just how much she had seen. "Everythin's great. Ya guys ready?" Everyone nodded. "Great, let's get out of here." Logan smiled, twining Ororo's arm through his as they left the mansion.

* * *

They arrived at the club a short time later, the trio of women laughing and talking excitedly as they entered the building.

Logan paused a moment outside the building, hearing and feeling the beat of the music that thumped from it. He looked at the large crowd slowly making their way to the entrance and sighed. He wondered if anyone would notice if he simply turned around and walked away.

In front of him, Scott and Warren turned around, seeing him hanging back and immediately stepped back to grab him. "If you think that we're going to let you hang back and somehow slip the noose…" Scott began as he grabbed Logan's arm.

"You have another thing comin' mate." Warren finished as he grabbed the other arm.

Logan growled lightly as they dragged him into the building but didn't fight them. He was not looking forward to the rest of the night.

* * *

Inside, the club was just as noisy and crowded as he'd feared. He followed the others to a table doing his best to ignore the people, the noise and the odors that assaulted him.

They spent the first hour or so, talking, laughing, drinking and dancing. After a couple of beers he relaxed a bit and even let Ororo lead him out to the dance floor for a couple of dances.

But Logan also noticed a slight change in Ororo as well. After her first couple of drinks, she grew quiet and thoughtful, almost lost in her own world. During their first trip on the dance floor, she seemed to be enjoying herself. But it soon became apparent that something was bothering her. And Logan was pretty sure that he knew what it was.

"Yer kinda quiet tonight. Ya'll right?"

Ororo smiled slightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck as they danced to the sweet tones of Patsy Cline. "Just thinking."

"Anythin' in particular."

She sighed slightly, biting her lip as she thought. "Logan, I must ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

"Why were you arguing with Remy before we left?"

He sighed loudly in annoyance. "Do we have ta talk bout this now?"

Her voice was firm. "Yes, we do."

Logan tried another tactic, trying to subtly change the subject. "Are ya sure it was an argument darlin'? I thought it was a discussion."

She fixed him with a firm stare, unmoved. "Logan, I know an argument when I see one. I could feel the anger radiating between the two of you. If I did not know the two of you, I would swear that you were bitter enemies. Now, please tell me what is going on."

Logan shrugged. "It's nothin', we just don't see eye ta eye on somethin'."

Her eyes narrowed and they stopped dancing. "Logan, you will tell me the truth, or I will zap your ass and leave you here to catch the fallout of your miraculous recovery."

He held up his hands in surrender. "Fine. He don't seem too keen on me datin' ya is all."

She sighed as they began to dance once more. "I had hoped our conversation might have helped that."

"I had a conversation with him too, when we started datin'. It didn't seem ta help either."

Ororo sighed, an exasperated yet patient look coming over her face. "My brother means well. He is very protective of me. He just does not want to see me hurt."

Logan didn't bother to hide his irritation at both the conversation and her brother. "I know, but he ain't protectin' ya, he's smotherin' ya."

"I know. But he means well."

Logan snorted. "Yeah well, I'm doin' my best not ta beat his sorry ass into the floor."

Ororo stopped moving, a somewhat angered look on her face. "Logan."

He didn't even attempt to placate her. He was tired of having to defend his actions and his words. The kid was her brother but that didn't give him any special rights to harass them. "What do you want me ta say, that I enjoy bein' verbally attacked whenever he comes into the room?"

Ororo sighed, slowly shaking her head. "No, I suppose not."

"Good, then maybe it might be time to have another 'talk' with him."

"Perhaps."

For several moments there was silence between them as they continued dancing, the song changing as couples wandered on and off the floor. Logan hoped that the conversation would ease her mind, but she still remained thoughtful and quiet.

He reached up to touch her face. It caught her attention and she looked at him. "'Ro, this ain't just about Remy, what else is on yer mind?"

Her voice was quiet, even worried. "I am not sure if I should tell you Logan."

Logan's mouth lifted in a slight smile as he decided to pick at her. "Well, if ya don't I'm going ta feel the need ta take ya outside and cheer ya up. And at the rate we've been goin' lately, everyone here might get trapped in the blizzard."

She gave him a wry smile. "Very funny."

"Seriously though, what's wrong?"

She stopped dancing, took his hand and led him off the dance floor. "Come with me, I would like to sit and have a drink while I explain something."

"This don't sound good."

She turned and gave him a pleading look. "Please Logan, this is important."

He relented and let her lead them back to their empty table. He flagged down a passing waitress and ordered another round for the two of them. A few minutes later, their drinks in front of them, he waited for her to begin the conversation.

But she had once again retreated inside of herself and simply sat there playing with the paper umbrella in her drink. Using it to push the ice cubes around and around in her glass.

Finally, he realized that maybe he needed to prime the pump a bit. "'Ro, I don't want ta put any pressure on ya, but if ya were plannin' on tellin' me before the year's out, ya do have a time limit here."

She sighed, letting the paper umbrella go as she looked at him. "I am not quite sure on how to begin."

He took a sip of his beer, his tone light. "How 'bout the beginning?"

She took a deep breath and just plunged into the conversation. "Remy has very good reason to be overprotective of me."

Whatta mean?"

"Surely you realize that you are not the first person that I have dated or slept with."

Logan felt everything click into place. And in that moment, he knew exactly what she wanted to talk to him about. But he decided to play along. "Course I don't. Ain't neither one of us come into this with a clean slate 'Ro. But that still don't explain his attitude."

She looked down at her hands, before she looked him in the eye. "Logan, there is something I must tell you. I was in love with someone once, several years ago, before I met you. The relationship was very serious; he even proposed to me."

Logan held up a hand, stopping her from going any further. "If yer gonna tell me 'bout Forge, ya don't have ta, I already know."

Ororo looked at him in surprise. "But how?"

"Jean and I had a very serious talk before we started datin', when I was still sortin' out how I felt 'bout ya. Jean thought she should tell me so that I wouldn't hurt ya like he did."

"Jean told you."

Logan could see the anger in her eyes and reached out to take her hand. "Yeah, but she did it cause she loves ya. She wanted to make sure that I wouldn't stomp all over yer heart like he did."

She nodded, pushing the anger back down. "I suppose I should have expected that from her. They have all been so…smothering since he left. I have nearly been driven insane because of their well intentioned meddling." She took a long drink. "Surely if you know about Forge then you understand why Remy is so overbearing with you."

Logan shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I do. I'd probably have reacted the same way if Drake had hurt Rogue. But he's gotta get it in his head that I ain't Forge. Everyone around ya is so damned set on protectin' ya they've forgotten that I ain't nothin' like the man."

"Then you are not angry at him?"

"I said I understood darlin'. I didn't say I was gonna ignore his damned behavior.

"Logan, please…"

"No, Ororo. I won't hurt him, I can promise ya that much but he and I will settle this, our way. Ya said that ya wanted everyone else to back outta yer life and let ya live it. Well this is the same damned thing. We'll handle it." She didn't look convinced. He ignored her skepticism and turned the conversation back to the real topic. "Now, since you brought it up, I think we should talk about that good fer nothin' lowlife ya nearly married."

"I am not sure that would be a good idea."

"'Ro, I've talked with ya 'bout the women in my life, a lot more than ya've talked ta me 'bout the men in yers. I admit that I wasn't lookin' for a relationship with ya at the time. Ya offered me a shoulder and I took it. If I'd known about Forge I'd have offered the same thing, then. But this is different. Ya know the baggage I come with. I'm still guessin' 'bout ya. I think we need ta clear the air."

"All right. What do you wish to know?"

"Tell me about him; why'd ya fall for him?"

Ororo sighed, playing with her drink again as she thought back on those days. "Forge was different than any other man I had ever met. He was charming, handsome, sophisticated, worldly and he wanted to be with me. What girl in her right mind would have been able to resist?

"He told me everything I ever wanted or needed to hear. He treated me like some priceless treasure. He was attentive, sensitive and seemed to genuinely care about what I was thinking and feeling. He set the world at my feet for the taking."

Logan took a sip of his beer, reaching out to touch her arm. "So what happened?"

"It was too good to be true. I fell for him, hard, so very, very hard. He put a great deal of effort into making all of my dreams come true; at least those dreams that coincided with the ones that he had. I had no idea that was so willing to throw away those dreams that meant the most to me and should have meant the most to him as well.

"He had no intention of staying with the X-men and becoming part of Charles's dream. Do not misunderstand, he was quite flattered by the efforts Charles and Scott put into recruiting him to their cause. But he always felt that he was destined for greater things than fighting for mutant rights and the dreams of some deluded telepath."

"Sounds like someone's a little bitter."

"Perhaps I am. But then again, I have every right to be. He was a man who claimed to love me. More importantly he was a man who claimed to want to spend the rest of his life with me. What was important to me should have been important to him. For no other reason than that it was important to me. But he ridiculed us instead."

"How'd ya find out about how he really felt?"

"Jean told me that he was projecting wildly the night that he left. She could not help but sense his thoughts. She and Charles agreed never to tell me what he really felt. But they became very concerned over my depression and Jean shared his thoughts with me. When I saw how he really felt about us, about how really felt about me, I refused to spare another thought or shed another tear for him."

"That explains what ya did after he left, not talkin' 'bout it and everything. But what about the night he popped the question? If ya loved him 'Ro, why'd ya hesitate?"

"When he proposed, I wanted to say yes, but something inside of me held those words back. There was a part of myself that did not want what he offered. It is something I still cannot explain to myself or anyone who has asked me. But it did not feel right and I found myself unwilling to settle. So, I said nothing. I neither agreed nor refused him. He was the one that saw it as a rejection.

"When he left, I thought my world had come to an end. I did not know what to do without him and so I pretended that it never happened. I was a damned fool to deny that he broke my heart. I have been an even bigger fool these past years in allowing the memory of how he hurt me to continue hurting me."

Logan shrugged. "Ya loved him, yer supposed to feel pain when those that ya love hurt ya."

"I was so sure that I loved him; so head over heels for him that it makes my head spin just remembering it. But looking back now, I am not so sure."

"Why's that?"

"Because now I know in my heart that he did not love me. Not like everyone else here does, not like I needed to be loved." She reached out to stroke his cheek. "And most assuredly, not like you love me."

Logan looked at her, holding himself very still. So still that anyone around them might have thought he was part of the background. He searched her face wondering how much she might know about his feelings and how much she might just be fishing for.

His voice was soft and neutral when he asked. "What makes ya so sure that I'm in love with ya?"

"You told me earlier that you are nothing like Forge and wish that everyone would remember that. I know very well that you are nothing like him. You have never once treated me as he did.

"Never once have you treated me as if I am anything less than your equal, in public or private. Never once have you told me that what I believe in is a fool's dream or worse. And never once have you expected more from me than I am willing to give. There were never any ultimatums given to be with you. You are as different from him as I am from Jean."

"And 'cause of that, ya think I love ya?"

"Let me explain another way. Forge told me that he loved me often, sometimes several times a day. He made it a point to tell me as often as he could. He seemed to think that I needed to hear the words and that somehow just the words would be enough. But now I wonder how I could have believed him when he never really meant them."

"Maybe he thought he did."

"Perhaps, but I have another thought. I do not think that he loved me, not really. But it is not the same for you."

"Meanin'?"

"You have never said you loved me, not once in all the time that I have known you. Not even as friends are wont to say it to each other. But I know that you do love me.

"You may not have said it out loud but I can still see it. Every time that you look at me I can feel it in your eyes. Every time that you touch me, I feel it in your hands. Whenever you do something for me that I know you would not normally do, I see love in you and I know that love is for me."

"'Ro I…"

"No Logan, this is not meant to pressure you into saying the words. I would not cheapen what either of us feels for the other by doing that. If I force you to say them before you are ready, then those words become meaningless and empty. When you are ready you will tell me; I can wait until then.

"But know this; there is no specter of the past between us. I love you and my heart belongs to only you." She smiled at him, kissing him gently.

He looked at her sitting there so confident and sure about what she had just said. He knew in that moment that she did indeed love him, no matter his faults, no matter the ghosts of his past or the blood on his hands. And he felt suddenly humbled by that truth.

He reached out to take her hands in his own, studying the contrast of the size of their hands and the color of their skin. And as he laced his fingers with hers, he realized that for him the contrast had some time ago become a melding. When he looked down at their joined hands, he couldn't see their differences any longer. All he could see was how well they fit together and how well they completed each other, inside and out.

He looked into her face, seeing the love she felt for him shining brightly in her eyes. It pulled at him, pushing around his defenses and sinking its claws directly into his heart. He sat there, gently stroking her hands as they lay entwined in his and simply let go. He simply stopped fighting and prepared himself to lay his heart and everything he was at her feet.

He had never felt so, naked before anyone before, almost as if he could no longer hide anything from her; as if she could see directly into his heart and soul. He opened his mouth to tell her and got no further.

There was a sudden loud cheer from the dance floor that drew his attention and drowned out any attempts at conversation. As Logan turned to see what was going on, he felt Jean projecting a wave of joy at them. She overpowered his natural barriers and he heard her voice clear as day in his head.

Yes! Yes! Yes! The same words repeated over and over again.

The crowd parted slightly and Logan could see Scott on one knee, getting to his feet to embrace Jean who had tears in her eyes. The crowd cheered as Scott and Jean kissed. A few minutes later, Scott let her go and Jean raced off the dance floor to the table where Logan and Ororo sat.

He watched as Jean embraced Ororo, who also had tears in her eyes, nearly knocking her friend over in her enthusiasm.

Jean pulled back from Ororo, holding out her hand, the brilliant diamond Scott had picked out glittering in the light of the club.

"We're getting married!"

Logan growled softly at Scott's terrible timing but swallowed it when Ororo shot him a strange look.

Ororo reached down to inspect the diamond, her smile more radiant than the sparkling gem she was admiring.

Logan watched her as she and Jean admired the ring and talked in excited voices about ideas and plans. He reached across the table, taking her hand and squeezing it slightly.

She glanced up at him for a moment, her smile lighting her eyes.

He gazed into her eyes and let her know that for the moment, their conversation would be put on hold. But the next chance they got, they would finish what she had started.

Then she turned her attention back to Jean and the moment was lost as Scott came up to the table.

Logan turned to Scott, shaking his hand and congratulating him. He then grabbed the nearest waitress and ordered the best bottle of champagne they had. He sat back and watched the celebration that unfolded around him.

* * *

A couple of hours later found the girls heading towards the bathroom, buzzing on champagne and good spirits while the guys stayed behind at the table nursing their beers.

Scott and Warren were presently pleasantly drunk and despite his healing factor, Logan was feeling pleasantly buzzed himself.

"I suppose congratulations are in order mate. Though I can't say Bets or I ever expected you two to ever get to this point."

Scott looked over at Warren, the club lights dancing off his red shades. "Really. And just when are you and Betsy going to get married?"

Warren shrugged. "Haven't really discussed it. Suppose we'll get there ourselves someday soon; although thanks to you probably sooner than I expected if Bets has any say in it."

Scott's reply was sarcastic and just shy of being snide. "Which of course we know she does."

Logan snorted. "Are ya kiddin'? I'm surprised she ain't beat Warren ta the punch and popped the question herself."

Scott laughed while Warren scowled. "Seems to me that you might not be too far behind the two of us in the marriage department boyo."

Logan shot Scott a look that would have bent steel. Scott gave him a completely innocent look back. "Remind never ta tell ya shit, ya can't keep a secret ta save yer life One Eye."

Warren laughed as Scott leaned across the table, his tone a bit pissed off. "I didn't tell him a damn thing, you just did genuis."

"Boy she must have really got under your skin if you're making rookie mistakes like that one. So are you and 'Ro getting hitched then?"

Logan scowled, taking a deep slug from his beer, realizing that he'd been quite cleanly caught. "No, it ain't bout that. I just figured out I'm in love with her and I've been bustin' my brain tryin' ta figure out how ta tell her and she beats me ta the punch."

Scott and Warren didn't even attempt to hide their surprise. "She told you she loves you?"

Logan nodded. "Yeah she did. And thanks a bunch Cyke for yer terrible timin'."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I was just about to tell her I loved her when you popped the question. Needless to say, we haven't finished that conversation yet."

Warren turned to Scott, his voice dropping to a stage whisper. Which, because of the noise of the club meant that he was simply talking loud and not shouting. "Man he's in it deep isn't he?"

"Yeah, problem is he won't realize it until she tosses him a life preserver."

"Man I'd hate to be you right now."

"Meanin'?"

"Meaning, you'd better find your girl and finish that conversation right quick."

Logan scowled as he threw back the rest of his beer. A few seconds later, he stood up from the table to do just that.

* * *

Inside the bathroom the trio stood in front of the mirror talking, laughing and adjusting their hair and clothes before returning to their table. 

Ororo watched Jean as she admired her ring several times, seemingly unable to take her eyes off.

Betsy noticed her behavior also and reached over to grab Jean's hand, admiring the ring again. "What a trip, engaged to our boy scout. How's it feel?"

"Like I'm walking on a cloud. I can't stop smiling. My face is cramping and I can't get it to stop."

Ororo chuckled. "And you thought that you would never be able to fly."

Jean laughed, reaching out to grab the hand of her oldest friend. "You're up at bat next Bets. When are you going to drag Warren to the altar?"

Betsy laughed herself, studying her reflection in the mirror. "As soon as I can convince him it was his idea in the first place."

"What, you're going to wait for hell to freeze over so he can think that he's the one that made the decision?"

The others laughed.

"Well, maybe not quite that long. But he'll come around soon enough. You wait and see." Betsy finished reapplying her lipstick and turned her attention to Ororo.

"And what about you 'Ro, when are you going to conk Logan over the head with the idea of 'happily ever after'?"

"Really Betsy we have just started dating. Give us a bit more time before you expect me to bash him over the head with something like that. Besides I think I have given him quite enough to think about tonight."

Jean and Betsy gave her puzzled looks. "What, did you tell him you're pregnant or something?"

"Really Jean, I wanted to surprise the man, not kill him."

Betsy laughed loudly as Jean breathed a sigh of relief. "So what exactly did you give him to think about tonight?"

"I told him that I was in love with him."

Jean clapped her hands together like a little kid receiving a long anticipated gift. "And what did he say?"

Ororo shrugged. "There was nothing to say; you interrupted him with your engagement."

Jean's face fell and she reached out to touch Ororo's shoulder. "I had no idea. God 'Ro, I'm so sorry."

Ororo shook her head. "There is no need to apologize. How could you possibly have known that Logan and I would end up having this conversation tonight? Or even that Scott was going to propose? We shall finish are conversation, have no fear of that."

Betsy slapped her hands together and stepped towards the door. "Well I don't know about you girls, but I say its time we get back to the menfolk before they start talking amongst themselves and comparing notes. I don't want to have to retrain Warren again."

The others laughed as she stepped outside.

Jean moved to follow her but Ororo hung back. Jean looked back at her questioningly as she reached the door. "You all right?"

Ororo smiled slightly. "Yes, I just need a moment."

Jean stepped back to her, feeling a touch of sadness through their mental link. "He really does love you, you know."

Ororo sighed feeling the slight sting of unshed tears as she fought not to cry. "I know he does. I would not have told him the truth of my feelings if I believed otherwise."

"But sometimes, no matter how much you say otherwise, you need to hear the words."

"Yes."

Jean reached out to hug her close for a moment and then left the room.

Behind her, Ororo stared at her reflection in the mirror. She had meant what she said to Logan earlier, she had no desire to force the words from him before he was ready to give them. But now, after a few more drinks and seeing how wonderfully happy and in love Scott and Jean were, she found herself wondering exactly when everything had changed.

* * *

A few moments later, Ororo stepped out of the bathroom feeling much better. She had decided to push the thoughts of doubt and uncertainty to the back of her mind until after she and Logan had finished their conversation. 

She would enjoy the rest of the evening and try not ruin Jean and Scott's night. And she would enjoy her night out with Logan. Goddess knew that once school began again they would be hard pressed to find enough time together.

She was just about to head back to the table when a man, six feet tall, blonde, gorgeous and covered in muscles blocked her path. She looked up at him and smiled politely even as she felt a hint of annoyance.

"Hey gorgeous. I've been watching you all night. How's about a dance?"

From his slurred voice, she could tell that he was drunk. "No, thank you. I am here with somebody." She brushed by him, forcing him to move.

He reached out and grabbed her arm in a vise-like grip. "So am I, but that don't mean we can't have a good time with each other. Besides, it's just a dance."

"Release me." Her voice was cool and collected. But inside she was furious at both his words and his actions. She knew that she couldn't simply brush him off; he wouldn't listen. And giving him a small taste of her own special "spark" would only draw unwanted attention and ruin Jean's special night. If she had no other choice, she could simply "encourage" him to let her go.

But if she lost control, she could end up hurting not only the drunkard, but anyone that came to his defense. Ororo had no real wish to hurt him or anyone else in the club. So for the moment, she would keep her cool.

"Come on doll, just one dance."

She tired freeing her arm and felt his grip tighten. This was definitely one that she could not simply brush aside. "No, now if you will release me I wish to return to my date."

The man laughed as he let her arm fall. "You mean that shrimp I saw you with earlier? Don't make me laugh. Honey, what you need is a real man."

She had intended to ignore him, but when she took a step away from him, he simply blocker her path again. She crossed her arms as she contemplated him. "And you just happen to think that you qualify."

He fairly leered at her, the liquor making what might have been a boyish grin nothing more than a simple twisting of his handsome face. "Sure do honey. How's about you take me outside for a spin?"

She opened her mouth to give him a scathing reply when she heard someone come up behind him. The drunk's tall body blocked her view but she would have recognized his gravelly voice anywhere. "Logan."

* * *

Logan saw the entire scene unfold before his eyes as he approached the lady's room. He'd seen Ororo come out of the bathroom and the drunk come up to her and talk to her, even grabbing her arm. 

He felt his lips pull back in a snarl as he watched the jackass grab her arm and then refuse to let go. He felt the beast within come awake and begin to rise slowly to the surface. He knew that she could take of herself; had no doubt that she could easily handle the jerkoff without even breaking a sweat.

But the sight of another man laying hands on her when she so obviously didn't want him to angered him and awoke the possessive side to his feral self. He shoved through the crowd, arriving just as he heard the drunk ask Ororo to step outside with him and take him for a spin.

"How's about I take you outside to bust yer ass. The lady's with me."

They both turned to him.

Ororo looked somewhat relieved and annoyed. "Logan."

The drunk just looked annoyed. "It's the shrimp."

Logan tilted the Stetson up on his head, eyeballing the much taller stranger. His eyes were cold, and lifeless. "Who ya callin' shrimp, bub?"

The drunk failed to notice either his body language or his eyes and took another jab at him. "You, last time I checked."

Logan stepped closer to the drunk. "You might want to rethink that last one, bub."

The drunk snorted, seemingly unimpressed. Not recognizing the danger that he had just placed himself in. If he'd been sober, he might have seen the murderous look that crossed Logan's face. Then again he might not have, no one would ever really know for sure. "Oh yeah, why?"

Before the drunk could react, Logan punched him in the stomach, forcing him to bend over and then put him a head lock. The man struggled but Logan's grip was unbreakable. "'Cause, ya wouldn't want me ta ruin that pretty face now would ya?" Logan held up his hand turning them slightly so the man's body blocked anyone else's view and let his claws slowly slide from his hands.

As the blades slid slowly between his fingers, Logan watched as the drunkard's eyes grew larger and larger until Logan was afraid they'd pop right out of his head. He stopped fighting as he watched those blades slide through the space directly in front of his face.

"Now I think ya owe the lady an apology."

The drunk nodded slightly, never taking his eyes off of Logan's claws. "I'm sorry man. I'm really, really sorry. Just please don't hurt me."

Logan shifted his grip slightly, letting his hand shake just a little, watching the drunk quiver with sheer terror as those razor sharp blades danced in front of his face. "Now the next time a lady tells ya she don't want to dance, what are ya gonna do?"

"Nothing man, I'm just gonna walk away." The drunk was breathing rapidly, almost hyperventilating, his wide eyes never leaving Logan's triple threat.

Logan nodded, almost like an understanding teacher trying to make a point to a somewhat obtuse student. "Good, and the next time a lady tells ya ta let her go, what are ya gonna do?"

"I'm gonna let her go." Again the man stammered.

Logan smiled, retracting his claws as he let go of the drunk. "I'm really glad we had this little talk. We should have another one again, real soon. Now go on, get the hell outta here."

The bigger man stumbled away, fear and drink causing him to lose his balance.

Behind him Ororo turned to Logan, anger all over her face. "I could have handled that Logan."

"Yeah, I know. But I didn't want ya to have ta slug him out in the club."

"Damn it Logan that is not what I meant and you know it. I am perfectly capable of dealing with an overzealous drunk. And I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. Who do you think has been doing it all this time before you?"

"Don't play word games with me 'Ro. Ya didn't stop me did ya?"

"Would you have stopped if I had asked?"

"No."

"Then what does it matter?"

"He was touchin' ya and ya didn't want him ta. It pissed me off."

"So now you shall attack anyone who touches me is that it?"

"No, it ain't like that."

"Then exactly what is it like Logan? Because from here that is exactly what it looked like."

He reached out, pinning her to the wall, his eyes glittering with suppressed rage and something more. He looked at her, feeling her heart race and her breath rushing in and out of her lungs. He leaned into her, feeling her body mold itself to his, fitting against him perfectly despite the differences in their height.

He reached up to touch her face, felt her shiver at his touch. The anger inside him turned into burning passion at the feel of her pressed against him, shivering from such a simple caress.

The beast within him had been awakened when Logan witnessed the drunk grab Ororo against her will. But it had remained quiet, simply observing while Logan dealt with him. Now, in the face of Ororo's anger, it rose again, asserting itself without taking control.

Logan felt a touch of the beast come into his voice, coloring his feelings and words. "Do ya know what it did ta me ta see him touch ya when I knew ya didn't want him ta? Do ya know what it did ta me ta see him holdin' ya against yer will, even though I knew he couldn't really hurt ya? I wanted ta rip his heart out right here for darin' ta do it."

Ororo shivered again as he nuzzled her neck.

"Its part of who I am and I ain't gonna apologize for it." He pressed himself against her more firmly his voice falling as more of the beast touched it. "Do ya know what ya do to me every time we touch, every time I make love to ya? I feel like a fighter pilot in a tailspin, just seconds from hittin' the ground. Ain't no one else in this world that's ever done that to me." He reached up, cupping her chin gently but firmly.

Cerulean eyes met steel gray, both clouded with passion as he moved in, his mouth a breath away from hers. His words wafting softly to her ears as he gave her the words that he had never dared to voice out loud. They were angered, full of passion and yearning and heated. "Yer mine. Ya belong to me, just like I belong ta ya. Ain't no one else in this world for me 'Ro. No one. I love ya Ororo."

Her eyes widened a moment and she reached out to wrap her hands in his shirt, as he closed the distance between them.

His lips touched hers the feel of them setting him on fire. He felt branded by them, possessed by them even as they yielded to him. In the face of her complete surrender, he did the one thing left to him, he surrendered as well.

Around them, the noise of the club faded as he simply let go and fell, surrendering everything he was, everything he strived to be, his heart and soul, and laid it at her feet.

* * *

Across the club, Scott and Jean sat in a booth still reveling in the afterglow of joy from the warm celebration they were part of when Jean paused, looking across the club to where Logan and Ororo had disappeared to. 

For a moment, she'd felt something from that direction; something joyous and passionate and relieved, all colored by a twinge of fear. She focused for a moment on the projection, ignoring the others as she tried to get a better fix on it.

"Jean, is everything okay?" Scott's concerned voice drew her back to the table.

She turned to him a beaming smile on her face as she leaned into him, feeling his arm slide across her shoulder to pull her close. "Yes, everything's fine. Just fine."


	22. Forgiven

Summary: Logan and Ororo have finally admitted their feelings and Jean and Scott are engaged. It seems that all is well in the mansion. But Rogue has taken a turn for the worse. How can Logan help her get over the pain and guilt of what she's done?

* * *

After New Year's Eve everything began to settle back to normal. Despite the excitement brought by Jean and Scott's engagement it still was business as usual for the residents at the mansion. 

The students returned as classes began once more and the halls of the mansion were once again filled with the noise and chaos of rambunctious and somewhat hyperactive children and teenagers.

For Logan though, the return of the students brought about a strange situation. He had admitted his feelings to both himself and Ororo. And they had spent the following days since that admission openly exploring and reveling in those feelings.

But now, with the return of the students, Logan found that he had to rein them in. And for someone who had learned a great deal of control out of necessity, the task seemed almost beyond him.

He found himself smiling at odd times; usually after he had allowed his mind to wander for a moment. He would find his mind drawn back to Ororo again and again. Often at the most inopportune times. He would then snap back to himself and find that he was standing in a room he didn't remember entering, a stupid smile plastered to his face. He'd look around hurriedly, afraid of who might have seen him and then head about his business.

Unfortunately for him, he was spotted several times. And his erratic and abnormal behavior set the student gossip mill aflame. But Marie wasn't around to confirm or deny the rumors, so what exactly was going on was anybody's guess.

Logan for the most part remained oblivious to the students, continuing on with his day. His mind filled with thoughts of Ororo. But he was about to be shocked out his oblivious state.

It was the day after classes had begun and he had just finished his workout with Ororo an hour before; wandering upstairs to find something to drink when he saw Rogue coming down the hall. He looked at her, really looked at her and was stopped in his tracks by what he saw.

She looked terrible. Beyond terrible. She looked as if she was recovering from a serious illness or just experiencing one. Her hair was dirty and hung limply against her head as if she hadn't bathed in a couple of days. Her clothes were baggy and hung loosely on her small frame. And he realized that she had lost weight. She was pale, her face wan, her eyes sunken and ringed by dark circles as if she hadn't had a good nights sleep in a long, long time.

Logan was surprised at her appearance and he struggled to think back to the last time that he'd seen her, really seen her, trying to remember if she had looked this bad. With a start, he realized that the last time he'd taken a close look at her was at Christmas when she had joined them for dinner.

Logan ran a hand over his face as he realized that he'd been too caught up in his own life to pay attention to her. He felt a twinge of guilt at that. But he'd wanted so much to believe that she was coming around. And she'd kept to herself so much that he hadn't really noticed anything amiss.

He clenched his jaw as he thought on the problem. He had to do something; he just couldn't stand by any longer. He quickly reviewed what he'd tried so far.

He'd tried the truth with her, he'd tried ignoring what had happened, hell he'd even tried getting her angry at him hoping that the change in focus might bring her out of it. But nothing seemed to be working. It was time for a drastic change of tactics. It was time to knock her upside the head.

He stepped into her path, blocking it. "Rogue, I wanna talk ta ya."

She simply stepped around him. "Not now Logan, Ah'm late for my physics class."

He turned to follow her, his words heated and full of anger. "Screw yer class, ya got time for what I gotta say."

She turned on him and they stood in the hallway, toe to toe as the other students passed them by. Her tone was full of acid and bitterness. "And what would that be, are ya gonna tell me again that what happened wasn't my fault? How 'bout that the grief Ah feel is misplaced. Or even better, are ya gonna tell me that given time, the pain Ah feel will fade? Well Ah've heard enough bullshit ta last me a lifetime, so if ya don't mind, Ah have a class to get to." She pushed past him and continued walking.

Logan reached out and grabbed her arm, mindful to grab her firmly but without touching her skin. "Don't walk away from me Rogue, we ain't finished yet."

She shrugged him off, her new strength allowing her to break his grip as she turned away from him. "Don't push me Logan."

He followed her, angry, and knowing that she was just as angry. "Dammit Rogue, get yer skinny, southern fried ass back here.

"Ya ain't my father!"

The words were thrown at him, almost like a taunt but he refused to rise to the bait. "Yer damned right I'm not. 'Cause he ain't here right now tryin' ta help ya through this, but I am. So stop actin' like an ass and talk ta me."

She stopped, turning on him. Other students in the hallway gave them both a wide berth. "Ah don't need ya fer this; Ah can handle this on my own."

He snorted, crossing his arms across his chest. "Yer doin' a bang up job so far. I didn't know that hiding in yer room and sulkin' was the best way to deal with a problem."

She turned away from him again, her eyes full of tears. "Get off my back Logan. Just leave me alone."

Logan reached out and grabbed her arm again, this time spinning her around, not giving her the opportunity to shake him off. "Or what, you'll hit me? Come on Rogue, take a shot if ya want. I won't even stop ya. And don't worry, we both know I can take it. But when I get back up, we're gonna do things my way."

Her eyes tore at his heart; they were full of anguish, unshed tears and pure self loathing as she tried, unsuccessfully to shake him off again. "Why won't ya just leave me alone? Why should ya care so much about how Ah feel after what Ah did? Ah killed her!"

Logan snorted loudly.

"You wanna compare body counts? I'll bury ya."

Her shoulders sagged and she leaned against him as she lost it and began sobbing again.

Logan simply wrapped his arms around her, holding her, letting her cry raggedly against him, her words come out in gasps and jerks.

"Ah can't handle this; Ah can't handle everyone looking at me as if they're afraid of me. No one wants to talk to me, no one wants to spar with me, and no one even wants to sit too close to me in class. No one but Remy and everyone already thinks he's crazy."

Logan dropped his voice as he put an arm around her shoulders as he touched his cheek to the top of her head. He hated to see her in such pain, but somehow, she had to be shocked out of the gloom she was determined to wallow in. Somehow he had to make her see that what she was doing to herself was going to kill her.

"Ya don't want ta be pitied? Ya don't want anyone ta be afraid of ya? Then what the hell do ya think ya can accomplish sittin' in your room? The only way any of them are ever gonna accept that there's nothin' different about ya is if ya stop giving 'em reason ta think otherwise."

Her voice was quiet and unsure, the words delivered to his chest. "Ah don't know how."

He pulled her back from him and looked her in the eye. "Well stop hidin' in yer room for one; yer walkin' around this place like ya got some dirty secret ta hide."

"Ah killed someone, how can anything ever be the same again?"

Logan hugged her once more, softening his voice as he reminded her of what he'd said before. "It won't be; I told ya that before. Ya can't ever forget, but ya can learn ta forgive yerself. And the first step in doin' that is ta show everyone else around ya that there's nothin' wrong. And ya do that by getting' on with yer own life."

The hall around them was empty; most of the students had found their way to their classes, leaving them in the suddenly quiet hallway.

She pulled away, looking at him once more with her pain filled eyes. "How can Ah, Logan, after what Ah've done?"

He reached out, squeezing her shoulder. "Just try, that's all I'm askin'."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "All right, Ah'll try."

He nodded and began leading her back down the hall, back towards the girls dorms and her rooms.

"Logan, Ah've got a class to get to."

"Not today ya don't. Ya need ta go back ta yer room and clean yerself up. Ya look like shit."

Rogue snorted slightly. "Ya always were a charmer sug'ah."

Logan was silent as he escorted her back to her room. A few minutes later, after making sure that she was doing as he told her to and letting the professor know that Rogue wasn't making it to his class, he stood outside her door, pondering what had just happened.

She wasn't healing, she was getting worse and he hadn't seen it.

He'd been so damned oblivious to her pain because of his own life that he'd let it get a lot farther than he ever would have allowed it to. And now he wasn't sure if they'd be able to reach her in time. Shaken, he pushed away from the door and went outside to find Ororo and come up with a plan for dealing with the problem.

* * *

Ororo looked up as he strode into the greenhouse, her hands buried in potting soil. She smiled at him, her eyes alight with pleasure as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Logan. What a pleasant surprise."

He stepped back from her, putting his hands in his pockets.

She mentally frowned as she noticed how tense he was.

"Hey darlin'. Thought ya could use a hand in here today."

She looked at him in surprise as she brushed off her hands and stood. "Really?"

Logan chuckled at the disbelief in her tone. "No, but I figured since I wanted ta spend time with ya, and I knew ya had work out here, it might be smart of me ta just come out and help ya."

She kissed him softly, her brow creasing as she pulled away. He was worried about something. She could feel it on him. But she played along with him anyway. He would tell her when he was ready. "That is very sweet. However, you will stay as far from my plants as humanly possible. Your thumb is as black as the night sky." She walked to the back of her greenhouse to rinse off her hands and give him her full attention.

"Ya kill one plant and she never lets ya live it down." He muttered under his breath.

But his voice wasn't quite soft enough and she heard enough to make her laugh.

"Actually, you killed more than a dozen and I swear you did it on purpose to keep from helping me." She came back to him, drying her hands off on her pants as she looked at him closely.

"I'm here now ain't I?"

"Yes. But truthfully, I do not really need any help at that moment. Why not just sit and visit with me for a moment."

He smiled slightly but it seemed forced. "Like ya need ta ask."

She decided to keep the talk light. It might help him relax enough to open up about what was bothering him. "So, what have you been up to since we finished our training session this morning?"

He shrugged as he pulled up an old clay planter, turned it over and sat down on the bottom. "Nothin' much. Sent the kids through their paces; added another mile ta their run. I've got some of 'em trainin' in different styles."

Ororo nodded as she began neatening up the greenhouse. "How are they doing?" Again, a shrug and she pondered the lack of enthusiasm from him. Normally he greatly enjoyed talking about his students and their progress. Something must really be bothering him.

"They're progressin'; some faster than others but overall, I'm pretty happy with how they're comin' along."

She tried another tactic. "You enjoy teaching them."

He sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair, his mind obviously a million miles from the subject at hand. "Yeah, I guess I do."

She stepped over to him, turning over another planter and sitting across from him. She reached out to touch his hand even as she asked. "Is there something bothering you my love? You seem far quieter than usual."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm just thinkin'."

"About anything specific?"

"I had an argument with Rogue earlier."

She gave a mental sigh realizing that they were getting somewhere. She had been meaning to talk with him about the young woman as well. Especially since Remy had just left her greenhouse shortly before Logan graced her door. It seemed that both of them were very worried about her. "An argument? With Rogue?"

He looked up and she could see the pain fill his eyes. The frustration he was feeling at not being able to help her. "Yeah. I got a really good look at her 'Ro. She's in a bad way; she looks like death warmed over. She ain't bathed, she ain't slept. It's like she's given up and don't care anymore. I can't believe that I didn't see it before now."

She nodded. "Remy came to me just this morning. He is very worried about her. He mentioned that he has not seen her eat in the past several days."

Logan gave her a surprised look. "Why didn't he tell somebody?"

"Because he is not completely sure. He cannot watch her 24 hours a day. He came to me to ask if I would watch her as well to see if she was managing to eat at strange times. I told him that I would and he left."

Logan surged to his feet. "Dammit 'Ro. Why didn't we see this? She's wastin' away right in front of us and we weren't payin' any damned attention ta it."

Her voice was soft and soothing as she too stood. "Our lives have been very busy in the past several days. And we all very much wanted to believe that all she really needed was time. But we see her now Logan. We can help her."

He turned to look at her, giving her a quick kiss before he headed to the door. "I'm gonna go see Chuck about this right now. I'll see ya later for lunch."

She watched him leave. "I shall be there."

* * *

Luckily for Logan, Charles was taking a break from his hectic day in his study. And he was alone. 

"I'm tellin' ya Chuck, I don't know what ta do for her. I've tried treatin' her with kid gloves, ignorin' the damn incident, I even had a damned argument with her this mornin' where I literally beat her over the head with what happened. Nothin' seems ta help. She seems bound and determined ta wallow in her guilt." Logan stepped away from the fireplace, his face set in worried lines as he sat down across from the professor.

Xavier sighed loudly. "Yes, Marie is quite stubborn about the pain she feels. I too have run into several road blocks in helping her."

Logan held out his hands at a loss for what their next step should be. "So what do we do?"

Xavier shrugged uncertainly. "As I said before, I think that the best thing we can do, at this moment, is to step back and give her time."

Logan stood again, pacing getting agitated. "We've done that and it ain't helpin'. I'm beyond worried at his point Chuck. She ain't been interactin' with the other students; she barely speaks ta me or Ororo. And this mornin' when I saw her, she looked like hell. And a couple of hours ago, I talked ta 'Ro and she told me that Remy's gettin' worried too. He says that she hasn't been eatin'."

Charles looked surprised at that news and little worried himself. "That information does complicate things."

"We can't lose her Chuck. We can't let her keep pullin' away from us like this."

Charles nodded. "I agree."

"So what are we gonna do?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment and then sighed as Logan waited tensely for his answer. "I have an idea, but I don't think that you will like it."

Logan spread his hands wide, giving up to Xavier's wisdom in the matter. "If it'll save her, give her whatever she needs to get better, I'm all ears."

"Then let me make a phone call."

* * *

Charles was right, Logan didn't like his suggestion. But he kept his word and his opinion to himself. The next day, he opened the door to Carol and Devon, Jennifer's parents. He escorted them to Charles's office staying silent as Jean served them tea. 

She demanded to be there to ensure that things didn't go as bad as they had the first time between Logan and the grieving parents.

Charles reached out towards the couple, indicating for them to take a seat. "I know that this is a strange request, and given the pain both of you have suffered, I never meant to disturb you in your time of mourning."

Carol gave him a strange smile as Devon nodded slightly. "We understand Professor. But we couldn't just sit by."

Carol reached over and took her husband's hand firmly in her own. "When Devon told me that you had called, about this girl Marie, we knew that we had to do something."

He nodded. "Yes, we've thought on what Mr. Logan said to us about what happened. And we have both realized he was right. Both girls were victims in this. Our grief made us lose sight of that."

Xavier nodded. "You both have my utmost gratitude for coming here. We have tried everything we can to help Marie and everything so far has failed. We are simply out of options."

Carol took a deep breath. "How can we help?"

Logan found himself marveling at the strength and compassion of the woman. She could have told Charles no. She could have told him that they had been through enough pain and tears because of his school. That they were still grieving for their daughter who had died at the hands of the very person they were now expected to help. She could have told him to go to hell. But she hadn't. Instead she had pushed her own pain aside to help someone else hurt by the tragedy that had taken their daughter. Even after the way that he'd spoken to them.

He wondered how many people in the world would have been able or willing to do what she had done so easily. He wondered, if their positions were reversed, would he have been able to do the same thing. He realized he had no idea.

"We have tried numerous times to get Marie to understand that the accident was not her fault. But all those attempts have failed. She has chosen instead to wallow in her own guilt over what happened. It has come to my attention that she has recently stopped eating.

Carol reached out, again grabbing her husband's hand, her face registering a combination of concern and horror. "Good Lord Devon; this poor girl. None of this is her fault." She turned back to Charles. "Do you think that it might help if we saw her, explained to her that we don't blame her?"

Charles relaxed slightly. "Yes, that is exactly what I think. Logan, would you go talk to Rogue?"

Carol looked at Jean, her eyes pleading with her. "Please, ask her; we promise to drop the request if she says no."

Logan nodded and headed to the door. "I'll go ask her."

* * *

Logan knocked on Rogue's door again. Not waiting for an answer, he walked in. He felt a wave of Déjà vu as he saw Rogue still sitting in her chair, staring out the window. Just as she had the last time he came to see her. 

If Logan hadn't known otherwise, he would have sworn that she had never moved at all; so similar was her position. He turned back to the others, holding up his hand as he quietly shut the door. He walked up behind Rogue, waiting for her to respond to his arrival. He stood there for several moments before she spoke.

"Ah didn't think ya would come ta see me again so soon."

Logan sat down in another chair, his face grim as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Ah know that look; ya get it just before ya leap inta a fight with somebody three times yer size."

Logan looked at her for several moments, silent as he pondered how to broach the topic of Jennifer's parents with her. She was a strong girl; he knew that. Anyone who had survived what she had would have to be to keep from losing her mind. But Logan knew that this situation was different; this was something she had caused; even if only indirectly.

And now the people who had the most reason to hate her were standing outside her bedroom door, waiting to come in and tell her that none of it had been her fault. All in the name of trying to help her get over what happened. "Jennifer's parents are here. They asked ta see ya."

Rogue flinched slightly, going pale as she turned her attention back to the window. "So what do they want ta do, yell at me fer killin' their daughter? Condemn me fer something Ah can't control?"

Logan shook his head. "No, they just want to talk ta ya; but they don't want ta hurt ya. Will ya talk ta 'em?"

Rogue was quiet for a long time, gazing out the window. Logan simply waited.

When she finally spoke again, her voice was so quiet that for a moment he wasn't completely sure that she was speaking to him. "Ah can still hear her, inside my head. Did ya know that?"

Logan shook his head. He'd never thought to ask that; had in fact been afraid to ask that question in fear of what she might say about it. About what she might reveal about the other personalities she had absorbed in the past.

"It's different than it was with you and the others. Ya'll quieted down after awhile; almost like ya realized that ya weren't really real anymore. Yer still there, just quiet. Ah still have yer memories, yer experiences, but Ah can shut them off when Ah want ta. Its not the same with her."

Logan moved closer, kneeling at her chair. "How's it different?"

"She's still there, talking ta me. She tells me things about her life and shows me her memories. She's usually pretty quiet about it; it ain't nothin' Ah can't ignore. But when ya said somethin' about her folks just now, she got louder and she felt almost sad. Ah've never felt that before."

"What d'ya mean?"

"When Ah touch someone, Ah absorb everything about them. Feelings, memories, skills; every aspect of their personality becomes a part of me. Ah feel and remember things as you experienced them, as if those emotions were my own.

"But after awhile, some of it starts ta fade. Powers and emotions are usually the first things ta go, then memories and finally skills. But while Ah have them, these things become a part of me. The Professor said that they became 'an extension of my personality'.

"It fades after awhile. Ah still have yer memories, even some of yer skills. But most of the emotions tied to those memories are gone. Ah remember them, but Ah don't feel them anymore. Its different this time; Jennifer's emotions are separate from mine; like there's another personality inside my head."

Logan was surprised by this revelation. "Have you told Chuck?"

"Ah wasn't sure that anything was wrong until just now."

"We can tell him right now."

"But what about Jennifer's folks?"

"They can wait."

"No, Ah do want to see them. Its just that…"

"It's just what?"

"Ah'm scared Logan. What if Ah say or do something that reminds them of her? How do we explain about her still being inside my head? It'll just kill them to think she might be trapped inside me."

"I'll talk ta Jean for a minute; maybe she can help control it long enough for them ta see ya than leave."

Rogue looked at him her eyes full of fear and self loathing and Logan felt a fresh stab of anger rip into him. "Ya promise me that they aren't gonna hurt me?"

He reached out and took her gloved hand in his own, squeezing it tightly. "I promise."

"Alright, Ah'll talk to them."

Logan stood up, stepping outside quickly. He pulled Jean aside and quickly and quietly explained what Rogue had just told him.

"Logan, I'm not sure I can handle this if she puts up a real fight. I might be able to suppress her for a short amount of time, but it would be better if Charles were here. He needs to know about this anyway."

"I know that, and I plan on telling him just as soon as this is over with. But in the mean time, we need to do this now while both of them have enough courage to do it. She needs help Jean. And if the professor thinks that this is the best way for her to get it, then I say the sooner the better.

"I agree. Alright Logan, but lets do this carefully. If the personality inside Rogue pushes too hard, she may be able to break free from me. It may be dangerous for everyone, not just Marie."

* * *

Jean stepped into the room, leaving Logan at the door as she reached out to Rogue telepathically and did her best to suppress Jennifer's personality with her limited abilities. After a few moments, she nodded at Logan and he opened the door to let in Jennifer's parents. 

They stood on the threshold for several moments, tense and unsure. Devon reached down, taking Carol's hand in his own as he stepped into the room.

Logan walked over to Rogue's chair, kneeling down next to it as he watched them come through the door, their steps unsure as they stepped further into the room.

Carol came forward first, her eyes never leaving Rogue as she came forward. She turned to her husband, who simply nodded. She stepped forward, kneeling down to meet Marie at eye level.

Logan could smell the tears and grief coming from all three of them as Carol silently kneeled in front of Rogue. He squeezed Rogue's hand once more, reminding her that he was there.

Without warning, Carol reached out, even as Rogue reached up to fend her off. She drew Rogue forward, embracing her firmly as the young girl lost control completely and began sobbing uncontrollably. Carol reached, out stroking her hair even as she began soothing her quietly, tunelessly.

"Ah'm so sorry. Ah'm so sorry." Rogue murmured the words over and over again, feeling a whisper from the Jennifer personality within her as Carol continued to comfort her.

"It's alright; we don't blame you; it wasn't your fault." She had tears running down her face as she continued holding Rogue firmly, rocking the sobbing girl.


	23. Lashing Out

Summary: Rogue has been granted forgiveness and begun therapy to gain control of the personality trapped within her mind and how to control her newfound abilities. All seems peaceful in the mansion but the peace is short lived as things finally come to head between Logan and Remy, forcing Ororo to step in.

Author's Note: Here I am once again avid readers!!! This update took forever. Between writer's block, finishing up the field season, settling back in at home and a minor medical crisis, I wasn't sure I would ever get this one done. So please don't start throwing the bricks and/or rotten tomatoes just yet. I've still got some more writing left up my sleeve. As always, please read and review and enjoy.

* * *

Charles and Logan sat in his office shortly after the exchange between Rogue and Jennifer's parents. They were sharing a cup of tea and a quiet conversation on what had just been revealed a short time ago. 

Logan leaned towards the professor, his elbows on his knees as he contemplated the older man. His voice was soft, his tone concerned as he spoke. "Do you think ya can help her?"

Charles nodded, his eyes focused somewhere beyond Logan, off into the distance as he held his cup of tea to his lips. "Yes, I do think that we can begin to make some progress now." He took a sip of tea, a grimace crossing his face at its taste as he focused on the room and its other occupant again. "I wish I had been aware that Jennifer's personality was hindering my efforts. I might have saved Marie a great deal of pain."

Logan sighed, sitting back against the cushions of the sofa as he rubbed a hand across his face tiredly. Recent events in the mansion had pushed everyone to their limits. Even he, with his unique abilities found himself struggling against the fatigue and stress. He had no wish to see Xavier increase his own burden because of some misplaced thought that they might have been able to predict or prevent what had happened.

"We're on foreign territory here Chuck. It ain't exactly like each mutant comes with a manual about their powers."

Xavier smiled sadly, setting his cup aside. "Of course I realize that here." He tapped his head. "But I am still having a hard time accepting it here." He tapped his heart.

Logan tried again. "But we caught it in time; we can still help her."

Charles smiled and nodded, a hopeful light coming into his eyes. "Yes, we can. I will begin work as soon as Jennifer's parents retire for the night. I think that in the morning we will see a very different person in our Marie."

Logan nodded, hope filling his voice. "I hope yer right."

* * *

Over the next several days, the professor's prediction proved very accurate. After just one session with Charles, everyone noticed a significant change in Marie's behavior and mental state. For the first time in a long time, she was heard laughing around the mansion. And she was seen interacting with her fellow students once more. 

As for Jennifer's parents, they insisted in staying at the mansion for another couple of days. They were seen spending a great deal of time with the young woman; doing their best to help heal the wounds they'd all suffered in light of the tragedy. They also told the professor that they wanted to be sure that Marie was well on the way to recovery before they left.

Soon after Jennifer's parents left, the professor decided that the time had come for Marie to begin actively learning how to control her powers. To help her, he enlisted Logan and Ororo. It would be up to Logan to teach her to control her strength and it would be Ororo's responsibility to help her learn to fly.

Logan for one was very glad to see the change in her. He'd spent many nights, sitting in the dark of Ororo's room, awake in her bed, worrying about her. His mind spinning madly but still unable to find a way to help her get over what happened. And now that they understood exactly what was going on, she was finally getting the help she so desperately needed.

But despite the joy he felt at her sudden change, he wasn't able to relish it. Because Logan found his schedule suddenly very full. Between his regular classes with Ororo and the other students, he now found himself personally training both Jimmy and Rogue. He was spending a great deal of time in a classroom, and even more outside of it thinking about his students and how best to train them.

There were many nights that he came late to Ororo's bed and simply fell asleep as she talked about her day and her progress with teaching Rogue to fly. But she never complained and he always awoke to find her in his arms, wrapped around him like a second skin.

A month passed for the residents of the mansion; a month that was relatively peaceful for them. There were no missions, no emergency calls to Xavier's office and most importantly, no further tragedies to mar the passage of time.

And in that time, Marie progressed rapidly in gaining control of her strength; her progress astounding even Logan. It was simply a matter of being aware of what she could do and pulling some of it back into herself. In other words, she had to learn a new level of control over body. But with Logan's help and patience, that grasp of control came quickly. The same could not be said for her flying.

In the month that had passed since Jennifer's parents visited, Rogue had made little progress in learning how to fly. Even after repeated sessions with the weather witch, she still only managed to lift a few inches from the ground. They had reached a stumbling block inside of the girl that no one could seem to breech.

Ororo had tried countless scenarios and techniques to draw out the secret of Marie's control and all had failed. They were both becoming quite frustrated with the whole damned mess.

That was when Ororo decided to try something she had not thought to try before for fear that it was far too extreme. But they had exhausted all other possibilities and she was fast running out of options.

So, one bright wintry morning, Ororo and Marie were outside once more, behind the mansion while Ororo again told Marie how she was able to fly. "My powers of flight come from my ability to use the environment around me to free me from the pull of Earth's gravity. In short, I use the very winds themselves to take flight. You however, I think use something very different from that."

Marie frowned slightly. "Ah think so."

Ororo smiled mentally knowing that they had gone over this again and again and never come up with a solution. She could practically feel the young girl's frustration. So this time, she decided to try a new train of conversation. "Do you have access to Jennifer's memories? Perhaps there is something there that can help you to control your flight."

Marie shook her head, sighing loudly. "No, when the professor locked her away inside my head, he locked away nearly everything. Ah don't think it would help much. She didn't seem to have any idea how she did it. It's like she just thought it and she flew. Ah don't think she thought about it a lot."

Ororo nodded. The professor had suggested nearly the exact same thing when she had spoken to him earlier in the day. "Then we shall just see what can come up with. Close your eyes and we shall begin."

For nearly an hour they worked on finding the mental release switch that would allow Rogue to lift off from the ground. Ororo's voice droned on and on, her tone soothing and hypnotic as she tried desperately to relax Marie's mind enough to simply let go and fly. But it didn't seem to help; the young girl managed to do little more than lift a few inches off the ground once again.

After her latest failure, Rogue couldn't hide her disappointment. She dropped back to the ground, an exasperated and frustrated expression on her face. "Ah'll never get the hang of this."

Ororo chuckled at the whiny tone of her voice as she draped her arm around Rogue's shoulders. "Give it time Marie. It will come."

"Maybe. But I think if Ah'm missing something. It's small but important. Ah feel like its right on the tip of my brain."

"Then perhaps that is enough for today."

Rogue groaned slightly as she stretched. "Alright. Ah feel like someone ran over me with a Mac truck."

Ororo chuckled steering her charge back towards the mansion. "Just give me a few moments and we will go into the kitchen and get something to eat."

Rogue nodded. "Sounds good to me."

Ororo left the young girl and leaped into the air, closing her eyes at the sheer pleasure she felt at immersing herself into the air currents around her. She twirled in the air letting herself relax and simply feel the winds and weather currents buffeting around her. She reached out with her mind, touching that part of herself to the weather and the goddess around her as she sailed through the air.

* * *

Below her, Rogue sat on the ground trying to relax and ease the tension brought on by the intense session she'd just gone through. She stared up Ororo in wonder, watching the older woman sail through the air with an ease and skill she envied. She hoped to be able to fly like that herself one day. 

She let her head rest on her drawn up knees as she stared in awe as the older woman spun lazily through the air, seemingly relaxed and at ease in the air. Rogue smiled as Ororo continued to float in the air. For a moment she let her mind wander as she daydreamed about her first flight.

She could feel the air rushing past her skin, her hair whipping in the breeze as she lost herself in the daydream, a small smile floating on her face.

A sudden strangled cry snapped her back to reality and she looked up in horror as she watched Ororo suddenly flinch, letting out another strangled noise as she grabbed herself around the abdomen. A split second later, she fell from the sky.

Rogue leaped to her feet, adrenaline surging through her as she reacted without thought.

"Storm!" Rogue shouted loudly in horror, leaping into the air without thinking, racing to catch her. She caught her a few feet from the ground, the older woman's heavier body catching her by surprise, slamming into her and knocking her out of the sky. Rogue compensated slightly, managing to cushion the impact slightly and keep Ororo from being injured.

Her first landing was anything but graceful as she landed on her back with a resounding thud and a loud grunt, cradling the larger woman with her own body. She sat there for a second, regaining her senses, slightly stunned by what had happened. She sat up, setting Ororo down gently as a new wave of terror took her over.

She reached out to touch Ororo gently, her face full of the terror of what might have happened if she hadn't been there. "Storm, are you okay?" She stood, intending to go get help. "Hang on, Ah'll get Logan and Hank." She felt a hand grab her leg and looked down to see Ororo smiling gently back up at her. She froze.

"I am all right Marie. I must apologize for my ruse. I wondered if perhaps you needed something beyond your own desire to fly to pull you into the air."

Rogue looked at her in disbelief. She had never expected the devious nature she'd just seen in the mutant. Not even after everything that Logan had told her about the subject. "Ororo, that wasn't funny."

Ororo stood, brushing herself slightly as she met Rogue's eyes. "No, it was not meant to be. But it did work."

Rogue felt a slight wave of anger building in an instant, only to feel it being washed away in the next. She started as she realized what she'd just done. "Oh my god, it did. Ah flew; Ah didn't even think, Ah just flew."

Ororo chuckled again. "What did it feel like?"

Rogue shrugged, realizing that she couldn't remember. "Ah don't know it all happened so fast, Ah didn't even get a chance to enjoy it. Ah wonder if it'll still work?"

Ororo smiled once more and lifted herself off the ground once more. "Let us find out shall we?"

* * *

After some trial and error, Rogue lifted herself into the air and began moving around. Her movements were hesitant and shaky. And from the ground she looked like a sick duck. However, it didn't diminish the sheer joy she felt at what she had accomplished. But she wanted more and tried to push Ororo to take the lesson further. 

Ororo shared her enthusiasm and excitement; after all it had taken them a month to break through the block that had kept the young mutant tied to the ground. But she also knew that Rogue would end up hurt if she pushed too hard, too quickly.

She had watched Rogue staring at her in awe earlier as she flew. It hadn't been all that difficult to read her thoughts. After all, from her perspective, Ororo made it look so easy. She knew that many others thought her control over her abilities was something magical; something that she had attained overnight.

But Ororo knew the truth; control and skill took time to build and learn. There was no magic formula, no short cuts. It was simply the result of her will, knowing her own abilities and limitations and a lot of work. In time, Rogue would gain that control as well.

So, knowing this, and knowing what was in Rogue's mind, she called a halt to the lesson for the day.

This drew an immediate protest from her student. "But Ah want to keep going."

Ororo draped her arm around Marie's shoulders and drew her back towards the mansion. She smiled, touching her head to Marie's as she gave her a gentle squeeze, empathizing with her. "I know that very well Rogue. But you need rest, and time for the skills to come. If we keep pushing, you might end up getting hurt."

Marie blew out her breath in an exasperated sigh as they reached the doorway. "And Ah was just starting to have some fun with it."

Ororo reached out to open the door only to have it open for her. She looked up to see Logan's familiar form filling the doorway.

"Chuck said I'd find you out here." He looked at Marie. "How'd the lesson go?"

Ororo let go of Marie as she stepped away, a new burst of excitement filling her young body. "Ah finally flew Logan."

Logan's smirked, an indulgent expression on his face as he stepped out of the doorway. "Yeah, bet that was somethin' ta see."

She shrugged slightly. "Not the first time; seeing's how Ah had to catch Ororo before she became yard pizza."

Ororo groaned inwardly looking at Logan's face, hoping he wouldn't overreact.

Logan had been reaching into his pocket for a cigar when her words hit him. He looked up at her, a strange expression on his face.

She shrugged slightly trying to make him understand what she'd been trying to do.

"Yard pizza?"

"Yeah, she tricked me into flyin' by pretendin' she was injured. She fell outta the sky like a rock."

Logan never took his eyes off of Ororo as Rogue spoke. "Sounds like ya had an interestin' time."

Rogue looked at Logan for a moment. "Yeah we did. Ah'm just gonna go inside and feed my face before Ah keel over. Ah'll see ya'll later." She practically ran into the house, nearly slamming the door behind her.

Leaving Ororo behind with Logan to explain the whole damned thing. Of course one look at Logan's face told Ororo that she really had no need to explain a thing.

"So ya fell outta the sky huh?"

Ororo chuckled slightly, stepping closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"We had tried everything I could think of nothing else to get past her mental block. I wanted to try something where she just did not have any time to think; simply to react."

He chuckled, the cigar hanging out of the side of his mouth. "Damned clever of ya darlin'."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah. Glad it worked. Chuck was just about beating his brains out tryin' to help you with this one."

"I am glad that he will no longer have to worry about this particular problem. So where are you headed tough guy?"

He chuckled at the nickname and at the seductive tone she used when she said it. "I'm goin' into the garage for a bit. Scott and I are finally makin' headway on that damned engine. I just gotta go check to see if he ordered the right part. I'll be back in a minute to have lunch with ya if yer interested."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him softly as she smiled. "I would enjoy that immensely."

"Be back in just a minute then."

Ororo turned to watch him walk away before heading into the mansion for lunch.

* * *

Logan stepped into the garage, putting his unlit cigar back into his pocket as he flicked on the lights. He tensed at a slight scuffling noise off to his left, his instincts roaring to life as he focused on what he'd heard. He moved slowly, silently towards it, his eyes darting around the area, looking for the source. 

It had come from the back corner where he had stored the bike he'd commandeered from Scott some time ago. The corner was poorly lit and hidden by a partial wall that had been erected for no specific purpose that he knew of. But he'd put it there in the hopes that if Ororo didn't see the damned machine, then she couldn't pester him about another ride in the middle of winter. Now though it was providing someone a very good hiding spot.

He sniffed lightly and felt his lips curling away from his fangs as he recognized the fresh scent coming from the corner. He stepped around the wall and came face to face with Remy, standing over the motorcycle.

Remy looked up at him as he came around the wall, a guilty expression on his face.

Logan looked at him for a moment, waiting for an explanation. Remy stayed silent. So Logan decided to start the conversation. "Ya weren't seriously considerin' blowin' up another set of my tires, were ya Swamp Rat?" The tone of his voice was neutral and light. But inside a small wave of rage was building.

Remy stepped forward, chuckling slightly and shrugging. "It be a joke Logan, a harmless joke between friends." The sarcasm in Remy's voice was unmistakable as he spread his hands innocently in front of him.

Logan felt his lips pull back, baring his fangs as he smiled evilly back at him. He stepped forward, his posture threatening violence. Remy stood his ground. "A joke huh? This is all a joke to ya isn't it?"

Remy smiled, laughing softly, the glint in his eyes going beyond anger and rage. It covered his face with a cool, icy mask.

Logan knew in that moment that if Remy had the chance, the young man would gladly see him maimed or worse. There was something more to all of this than just simple righteous anger; something more than dislike of the man sleeping with his sister. This was a cool anger, a cold hatred and it went bones deep.

In that moment Logan knew there was no argument that would get through something that intense. There was nothing he could say or do to make those feelings go away. Once hatred and anger had gone cold, it was nearly impossible to control or even rationalize away. Once hatred and anger had gone cold, it was ingrained and set in stone. Once anger and hatred had gone cold, it lasted almost forever. Logan could relate.

So he did the only thing he knew to do. He grabbed the young man intending to intimidate him, even scare him enough to get him to back off.

He watched Remy's eyes widen slightly as Logan grabbed him in a vise like grip, his hands twisting the collar of his trenchcoat, holding him close. He smiled slightly as he spoke quietly to Remy. "Yer wearin' my patience thin, bub. I don't know what I coulda done ta piss ya off but let's be honest. We both know that me sleepin' with Ororo ain't the reason behind this hatred ya got for me. Ya've had it in for me the moment ya found out we were seein' each other.

"Most guys who've done what ya've done ta me would be dead by now. I don't hold grudges, I don't waste time bein' angry, I just make people bleed. But yer Ro's brother and I would hate ta break her heart by breakin' ya. So this time I'm just gonna warn ya. Ya are two steps from bein' gutted. And trust me when I say, I won't feel anythin' when I do it.

Ya wanna hate me? Fine that's yer business. But yer gonna do it quietly and without doing all this petty shit ta piss me off, ya got that? Cause if ya don't stop, I'm gonna have ta bust ya up a bit. Not enough ta kill ya, just enough to make ya hurt. If ya keep comin' at me, I'll make it hurt a little more. Do we understand each other?"

Remy nodded. "Remy understands."

Logan smiled again and pulled back, on the verge of letting him go when he felt and smelled Ororo come up behind them.

"Logan, please put my brother down."

Logan cursed under his breath; he'd been so caught up in what he was doing that he hadn't even heard her come into the damn building.

To anyone else, she would have sounded calm, serene even. But Logan knew that she wasn't. He could hear the underlying anger in her voice and smell the rising ozone in the room that told him she was dangerously close to lashing out.

He did as she asked and released Remy, stepping back away from him. He heard the click of her boot heels as she walked up to the two of them. The noise punctuated the anger he smelled rolling off of her and he sighed softly.

She stood between them, looking at both of them as she held herself stiffly, almost statue-like. She looked at Remy then at Logan, her face smooth as silk, but flames of anger were dancing in her eyes. "What in Goddess's name is going on in here?" She fixed her enraged gaze on Logan, waiting for an explanation.

He shrugged, never taking his eyes off of Remy as he spoke. "Nothin' 'Ro, Remy and I just had a disagreement."

Ororo didn't bother to hide her disbelief. "A disagreement? Really? Then why were you holding him over a foot in the air Logan?"

He shrugged. "Ask him."

Ororo turned her intense gaze to her brother. "Remy?"

Remy's gaze was locked on Logan and was just as intense as the feral mutant's. There was no doubt of the hostility there. "It was a disagreement, dat is all."

Ororo looked from one to the other weighing their words as she stood there radiating fury and anger at their behavior. Logan and Remy continued to stare at each other. "Remy, come with me. We are going to have a talk." The tone of her voice was midnight soft and brooked no argument. Neither man wanted to test the edge of her anger.

Remy nodded and followed her from the garage.

Logan listened to her retreating footfalls feeling a bit of relief that she hadn't targeted that intense anger at him. But his relief was short lived when the sounds of her steps stopped as she reached the door.

"And Logan, you and I shall talk later." With those clipped words, she left.

Behind her, Logan sighed loudly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He was going to need a drink in a little while; a really large, strong drink.

* * *

Ororo led Remy to another part of the mansion where she hoped to have some privacy for the argument she had hoped she wouldn't be forced to have with him. She stomped through the halls, the sharp click of her heels echoing throughout the wing of the mansion. 

She was angry, at Logan, at Remy, at the whole damned situation. She had known that they didn't get along very well. She would have to have been blind not to see the tension between the two of them. But she had hoped that they would somehow work out their differences.

The prank war begun by Remy when he blew up the Thanksgiving turkey had inspired a ray of hope. For a short period of time they had behaved as if they might actually manage to bury the hatchet between them. Now she was no longer so sure.

She knew they couldn't help it, being who they were. Remy was her brother and he had always done his best to look out for her, even when she had wished he'd butted out. He was loyal to a fault and could never seem to keep his nose out of her life or the other people in it. She often wondered if all brothers acted like him or if she had somehow gotten lucky.

And Logan, well Logan was something else entirely. He was just as possessive, just as fiercely loyal as Remy. If someone insulted or threatened him or someone he cared about, he would wade in and knock a few heads together more often than not. But he tempered those instincts with certain people.

Despite his savage and sometimes unpredictable nature, there was a sense of caution about Logan at times. He was by no means stupid and in the past many of the things that Remy had said and done to him would have inspired Logan to violence; if he had been anyone other than her brother.

Logan knew very well that she would never forgive him if he hurt her brother; at least in so far as he deserved it. The things that Remy had done so far had been small and petty and not worth getting angry over; especially when Logan knew that he was risking her wrath. So she found herself wondering just what had happened between them to spark such rage in Logan. Rage that he knew very well she would not approve of.

Ororo opened a door to another room and ushered Remy inside. She closed the door quietly behind her taking a moment to gather her thoughts and to calm the wave of anger she felt inside.

She turned to look at him as he sat down, absent mindedly shuffling a deck of cards. "What is going on Remy?"

Again Remy tried to downplay the incident. "As da Wolverine said, not'ing but a disagreement."

Ororo sat across from him, a frown marring her face. "Do you take me for a fool dear brother?"

Remy sighed, putting the deck of cards in his pocket. "No, Remy does not tink you are a fool."

"Then stop treating me like I am stupid and tell me what the hell is going on between you and Logan."

Remy hesitated slightly before replying. "Remy and Logan do not get along."

Ororo snorted loudly her reply thick with sarcasm. "Really, I had no idea."

Now a flash of anger lit Remy's eyes as he pointed an accusing finger at her. "Dis not funny Ororo. Remy knows dat he is sleeping in your bed."

Ororo could not hide her surprise at that statement. Her mind began racing, wondering if somehow he had found out or overheard her conversation with Jean. She decided to play dumb. "What would give you that idea?"

One look at his face told her that it wouldn't work; he knew too much. "Remy came to your room one night. Remy needed to talk to you about Rogue. Remy found Logan in your bed, sleeping next to you, his arm wrapped around you. Remy did not like it."

She sighed loudly, standing as she began to pace the room. He'd found out on his own but that still didn't explain just why in the Goddess's name he was trying to incite Logan into violence. "Is that the only reason you do not like him, because we are having sex?"

"No, dat is not da only reason." And he said no more.

Ororo reached up to rub her temples feeling a headache blossoming behind her eyes as she fought the urge to reach out and strangle him until he talked. "Obviously. But since you are my brother and he is my lover, I must ask again, what is going on?"

"Remy does not trust him!"

Ororo turned back to face him, another flash of anger hitting her as the skies over the mansion darkened and thunder began to rumble overhead. "That does not give you the right to attack him! I told you before Remy that I am a grown woman. I have earned the right to decide what to do with my life and who I spend my time with."

Remy stood now, his face inches from her as they shouted at one another. "He is not good enough for you."

Ororo didn't even bother to reign in either her anger or her powers as she matched him shout for shout. "Why, because he is not who you might have chosen for me?"

"He is Assassin!"

She stood there in disbelief. His enraged accusation had nearly erased the anger she was feeling. Of all the things that he might have said, she had not expected that stark accusation. And now, she realized that she should have. Everything began to click into place. "You cannot be serious. You are against me being with him because some damned outdated bayou code?"

Remy crossed his arms over his chest and simply glared at her. "Tieves and Assassins are enemies. Dey have been for as long as da guilds have existed. Dey do not date. You are Tief, he is Assassin."

Ororo ran a hand through her hair feeling an overwhelming urge to begin ripping it out in frustration. "You are behaving like a fool Remy. He is not Assassin. He may have been a hired killer at one time in his life, but that does not make him Assassin."

Remy sneered. "Once an Assassin, always an Assassin."

Ororo threw her hands in the air as the storm clouds began building outside the mansion once more. "Damn you for a close minded fool Remy. Would it make any difference in your mind if I told you that he is in love with me?"

Remy shook his head violently. Once, twice refusing to believe. "Non. He is a liar."

Ororo stepped closer to him and he refused to meet her gaze. "And if I told you that I loved him?"

His face whipped around to hers and she could see a wave of panic wash across it. "Tell Remy dat is not true. Tell me dat you do not love dis man."

Ororo reached out, touching his shoulders trying to make him understand, to make him see just what she felt for Logan. "I do love him Remy, I do. With everything I am, I love him."

Remy pulled away from her, his face enraged as he once again pointed an accusing finger at her. "Dammit Ororo, when our _pere_ hears of dis…"

She cut him off. "He will what Remy? I am a grown woman and I am in love with someone who makes me so very happy. Why must you be so angry? Can you not simply be happy for me? I never thought I would find someone to love me again after Forge left. And now I have and you are making me insane with your overbearing nature."

Remy scoffed, his low muttered words were perfectly audible. "Says da woman who would make a gator look pleasant."

"Stop being snide." She snapped back. "Can you not simply be happy for me?"

Again the violent head shake. "Non, I cannot."

Ororo sighed as she simply gave up. There was just no way to convince him and she no longer had the strength to force the issue. "Then I am sorry for you; more than I can say."

"And if Remy said dat you had a choice?" Remy's voice was quiet but firm as he spoke.

Ororo couldn't hide her confusion. "A choice? How can I choose who I love?"

Remy stepped towards her. "If Remy said dat you had a choice, would you choose?"

Her eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. She shook her head at him. "Remy do not do this."

He reached her, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her slightly as he spoke. "If Remy said dat you had a choice between dis man and me, who would you choose?"

Ororo shook her head again and again not wanting to believe that Remy could hate someone so much that he would ever force her to make a choice. Her voice was strained and pleading as she tried to make him understand. "Do not make me choose Remy. You are my brother, he is the man I am in love with. Either way I choose, I lose. If you really truly loved me, you would not force that pain upon me."

His face and voice were hard and unforgiving as he pressed the issue. "Choose Ororo."

Ororo shook him off, feeling her own anger rising as looked at him. "Remy, I love you. But I do not plan to spend the rest of my life making you happy while I am miserable. I am sorry."

Remy could not hide the disbelief or the pain that her words caused him. "You would choose him over me, your own brother?"

Ororo turned away from him, walking to the window as she once again asserted control over her emotions and her powers. Her voice was soft and filled with pain at what he had just done. "I never made it a choice Remy, you did."

Behind her, Remy stomped towards the door enraged at her and Logan both. "He will hurt you Ororo. He will stomp on your heart and laugh while he smashes it to pieces. And dis time, Remy not be around to help you put it back toget'er again." He slammed the door behind him.

Ororo stood at the window looking out into the sky, unshed tears shining in her brilliant eyes as the skies around the mansion let loose and a light misty rain began to fall.

* * *

Logan stood inside the garage cleaning up when he heard the rain let loose and begin to fall. The weather had been bright and sunny and unseasonably warm with no call for rain or snow. He swore violently as he realized what the most likely reason for rain might be. Somehow Remy had upset Ororo. He stormed out of the garage and ran to the mansion to track her down. 

As he stormed through the mansion, trying to follow her scent, he felt the anger come alive inside him at what Remy had done. It wasn't enough for the damned Cajun to come at him and piss him off, no. He had to get Ororo involved, one of the few defenders he had. Logan realized that if he hadn't wanted to rip the man apart before, he was more than eager to do so now.

A few minutes later, he stood outside the room where she had taken Remy. He could smell the rain inside the room and he knew that he'd been right. Remy had made her cry. He reached out and opened the door, stepping into the room.

She didn't look at him; she just continued to stand at the window and gaze out into the sky.

He walked up to her quietly and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her, resting his hands on her hips.

She sighed and relaxed against him accepting the comfort he offered.

"We need ta have a talk darlin'." His voice was quiet; letting her know that he was there to listen, but not pushing, not prying.

"I know and I am sorry for anything Remy might have done to deserve your anger." She sighed and he could smell the tears drying up as she pushed them back down inside of her.

"Just like that and yer apologizin' for him?" Logan couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice at her words.

She turned to face him, a small sad smile on her face. She touched his face gently, seeming to get a lot of reassurance from the affectionate gesture. "I know my brother Logan and I know you. If you were threatening him, you more than likely had reason to. I am just sorry that he felt the need to goad you to it in the first place."

He reached up and touched her face, gently wiping away the tears as his eyes bored into hers. He let them fill with the love in his heart even as he pushed down the rage he was feeling; he didn't want her to see it shining in his eyes. "'Ro, ya all right?"

She shrugged. "I will be. But for now, would you just hold me?"

"Ya don't even have ta ask darlin'." He chuckled as he drew her to a nearby sofa and lay down on it.

She lay across him, her head against his chest listening to his heartbeat as he stroked her hair.

There was silence for several moments before Logan asked the question he already knew the answer to. "Did ya and Remy have a fight?"

She nodded, looking up at him. "Yes we did. You were right; he has a problem with me dating you. Which was made all the worse when he discovered that not only were we sleeping together but that we are in love with each other as well."

Knowing how Remy had been with him simply sleeping with her, he could only imagine how enraged that news had made him. "He said something pretty nasty didn't he?"

Again there was a sad sigh from her. "Yes he did. But he always did have a fiery temper. I am hoping that he did not really mean what he said. And given enough time, he will cool off and realize that what he wanted was not only unfair but unrealistic as well."

Logan felt something click and realized that this was probably worse than he'd thought.

"He made ya choose between us didn't he?" He murmured. He could feel her lip quiver slightly against his chest and silently cursed Remy for being such an ass.

"Yes he did." Her soft reply belied the pain those words caused. But outside the rain began to fall harder telling him just how much her brother had hurt her.

"Ororo, I never meant for this ta happen. I don't want ta cause ya problems with yer brother."

She took a deep breath, taking control of herself and looked up at him. "It does not matter anymore Logan. His anger does not change what is between us." She looked down, suddenly unsure, her voice soft and low. "Does knowing that he made me make a choice make you love me any less?"

He reached out and touched her face gently, raising her eyes to meet his. "'Course not." How could she even think such a thing? He made a promise to himself that if he ever got a hold of Remy, he was going to beat the hell out of him for what he'd just done. And there was nothing that she could say that was going to stop it either.

Again, she took a deep breath and this time he could see her gain control. Outside the sky began to clear once more. "Then do not worry about Remy's problem. He will just have to figure it out for himself." She settled back against his chest.

There was silence for several more moments as they were both lost in thought. "Darlin'?"

"Yes Logan?"

"Would ya still be mad if I tell ya that I don't particularly care 'bout his problem?"

Ororo looked up a sad smile on her face at the question. "No Logan not really. It is his problem not ours."

"Good." And he lay back in silence, offering the simple comfort of his embrace and love to sooth her.


	24. Fleeing the Scene

Happy Holidays everyone; I'm updating just in time. Consider this chapter an early gift for my avid readers. Just kidding; sort of.

Anyway, there's very little Ro/Lo in this chapter; there is however a surprising amount of Rogue in here. I never intended there to be this much but well, my muse jumped me and beat me over the head until I gave in. Don't worry there shall be Ro/Lo aplenty in following chapters. And I do mean plenty!!!

The first part of this takes place just after Ororo and Remy's argument. So as always, read, enjoy and review. I just love praise; flamers need not apply!

* * *

Rogue stared out the window, watching the rain fall softly to the ground. She had always greatly enjoyed the rain. She loved how it felt against her skin, how it made the world before, during and after it fell, how it made the world look and smell. 

It soothed her when she was upset, calmed her when she was angry. Before she'd come to the mansion, before her parents had run her off in a fit of rage for what she was, she would sit on the porch of their house and simply enjoy the rain when it came.

Down south, the rain could often be short-lived and somewhat violent. But it never mattered to her. Because after the rain, the world was cleaner, newer somehow. As for all the other kinds of weather, well she knew plenty of people who loved the snow, people who loved the falling leaves and people who found the wind something to behold.

She even knew people who found beauty in thunderstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes, as crazy as that might sound to others. They could keep them all as far as she was concerned. All she ever needed was the rain; but for the first time that she could ever think of, this time it brought her no comfort.

It had been three months since the accident where she gained new powers at the expense of another student's life. Three months since she had awakened to the cold knowledge that she had killed someone. And it had been only half that long since Jennifer's parents had come to the mansion granting her the forgiveness she had needed to truly begin to heal from the tragedy.

It still seemed strange to her that it was that forgiveness that had given her the strength to face the next daunting hurdle in her suddenly dramatic life; suppressing Jennifer's personality which had been alive and well inside her mind.

The task had seemed overwhelming and Rogue had felt a true sense of fear when she had talked with the professor about what they would have to do in the coming weeks. Even the professor hadn't been sure of the success of what they were trying to do; no way of knowing whether the personality could be suppressed at all. That in itself was had scared Rogue more than anything else; the uncertainty of it all. She had never expected such doubt from the gifted mutant.

But it had worked and she had learned to function once more. Even more importantly, she had begun to learn how to use her newfound powers. With this new control, over both her mind and abilities, she had thrown herself back into the social circles inside the mansion's student body with a confidence that surprised even her.

And, surprisingly enough, she'd been readily accepted back into the fold. Even Jennifer's closest friends were civil, even sympathetic. For a short time it seemed that things had begun to turn around; until a few days ago, about a week before her successful flying lesson with Ororo.

She was in the library, reading quietly alone when she felt a sharp, piercing pain stab her between the eyes. She dropped the book that she was reading, clutching her head, her eyes closing against the sudden searing pain. It pulsed and throbbed for a few seconds and then just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone.

She sat in the library for several moments, her ragged breathing echoing in the stillness as she tried to calm down, wondering just what had caused the pain. Hearing another student entering the library, she bent to pick up the book, flashing them a fake, covering smile as they walked by.

Since that day in the kitchen, the pains only grew worse and more intense. They were also getting more frequent and lasting longer. Sometimes, when one of them overtook her, she blacked out and went away for awhile.

In affect she realized that she was losing time. Not a lot usually only a few moments here and there. But sometimes, when she finally came back to herself, she found herself in other parts of the mansion, often no where near where she had been when the pain first began.

She was never harmed by her wandering and she never left the mansion, or did anything embarrassing so far as she knew. But it was starting to frighten her. She had no idea what the blackouts could mean and she was too terrified by it all too even think what might be causing them.

So far she hadn't told anyone about them, afraid that she was finally losing her mind. But she knew that if she just let things continue on as they were, eventually she would do something stupid or embarrassing or even something that got her or someone else hurt. Then everyone would know about her losing time. And it would be just one more thing that set her apart from everyone else. She wasn't sure she could handle anymore isolation.

That afternoon was the worst and it was what finally drove her into hiding in the mansion. She left Logan and Ororo outside for a few moments, going into the kitchen to fix something to eat. The session with Ororo was very strenuous and she was starving, feeling a strange lethargy overtaking her limbs as she began making a sandwich.

She was humming to herself, spreading mayo on a piece of bread when she felt something shaking her arm. She looked up to see Ororo standing there calling her name, a panicked expression on the older woman's face. She forced a smile at Ororo, apologized for not hearing her and continued making her sandwich.

The older woman looked at her for several moments, almost as if she wanted to say something more. But then she simply shrugged and helped her finish making lunch.

The entire time that she stood next to her mentor, Rogue was covered in a cold sweat. She had no idea how long Ororo had been shaking her and no idea how long she had stood in the kitchen in her blackout before Ororo had come in. But the pile of finished sandwiches told her that it had more than a few minutes.

Rogue sighed loudly, reaching up to touch her head, the throbbing at her temples distracting her from the memories for a brief moment. She rubbed one of them absently, trying to regain control of her thoughts as she turned her eyes once more to the light rainfall outside.

"I didn't know it was supposed to rain today."

Rogue jumped at the unexpected sound of someone's voice behind her and whirled around. She saw Jimmy standing in the middle of the room.

She'd seen him around several times since he'd been pulled from the Canadian lab by Logan. She'd even talked with him a few times; on Christmas, one of her better days, she'd pulled him out of his shell enough to play several games of pool with her and Remy.

But he was normally a very solitary person, keeping mostly to himself. She could only count a handful of times when she'd come up on him in the halls of the mansion. And of those times, she'd always been the one to speak first. She wondered what had changed that.

* * *

Jimmy didn't mean to startle Rogue the way he had. He'd been standing in the doorway for several minutes waiting for her to notice his presence. But she hadn't. And it gave him a few moments to study her while she was relaxed, not knowing that she was being watched. 

She stood at the window, shadows of pain dancing across her face as she watched it rain. There were dark shadows under eyes again and he could see that she was unconsciously clenching her jaw. Every few moments, she would reach up and touch her temples, closing her eyes as she tried to rub some pain away.

He didn't know how Rogue had been before the accident; he had no idea what she was normally like or at least what she'd been like before Jennifer's death. But he knew a great deal about pain and sorrow and wounds of the soul. He knew a great deal about guilt turning deadly.

And he knew a great deal about how sometimes, guilt lessened giving a short reprieve only to come back stronger and more unbearable than before. If given the chance, ghosts of the past could and did come back to rip at the soul and grind the bones of their victims until all that was left was a quivering, sobbing pile of flesh with no defense against the evil inside its own heart.

He'd seen himself standing on that precipice more than once and yet he'd crawled back from the abyss; with the physical and emotional scars to prove it.

So as he stood there staring at Rogue, he found himself wondering how far into the abyss she had tumbled, and just how far she would fall before she caught herself and clawed her way free.

Logan had told Jimmy that Rogue was starting to make some real progress. The forgiveness of Jennifer's parents seemed to have really given her some closure on the whole incident and she made some great strides in healing since then. But Jimmy wasn't so sure.

He could see something inside of her, still lurking, deep down where it had managed to hide itself. And it was just waiting for the chance to be free again. No amount of forgiveness was going to save Rogue from that resurgence. Only Rogue's own strength of will would do it. But looking at her now, Jimmy wondered if it was too late.

He'd seen the truth of it for himself earlier that day. She was wandering down the hall, her eyes open and vacant as she walked. He raised his hand to wave and she smiled at him, saying hello.

His hand froze in mid wave as he realized that whoever it was in control of her body at the time, it wasn't Rogue. The mannerisms were different, the way she walked was different and most importantly, her voice was different. She had no accent when she spoke. The southern twang that he knew so well from their previous but brief conversations was gone. Seemingly swallowed up by the stranger now in control of her body.

She kept walking, oblivious to the fact that he saw anything wrong. But he knew and he was frightened by it, frightened for her and what that wrongness about her might mean.

So, he decided to find her, after his last class and talk with her to try and understand just why he might have found a stranger inside of her body when they last met.

He walked towards the window, ignoring her startled expression. He needed to tread carefully, get her to relax and open up. So he kept his tone light and his movements slow. "Although rain can be cleansing; people sometimes forget that."

Rogue turned to look out the window again her face pensive. "Ah've always thought so; at least Ah used ta think so."

Jimmy stepped up next to her, watching her faded reflection in the window as she stared out into the gray sky. "You don't find it soothing anymore?" He looked over at her, his words quiet and soothing. He wanted her to open up but he didn't want her to think he was prying.

She shrugged, not taking her eyes off of the dark sky. "Ah don't know, maybe. Or maybe it's just today."

"What's so different about today?"

She sighed and then reached up to touch her temple, a pained expression on her face. "Nothin' really, it's just this damned headache Ah've got. It's makin' me a little twitchy. That and the fact that Ah can't go out and fly in the rain."

"Why not?"

She snorted, a smile crossing her face. "Ororo won't let me; she said Ah need ta learn more control before we make it more difficult."

He shrugged. "Sounds like a good idea. Besides, things have been difficult enough lately don't you think?"

"Yeah, they have." She turned to look at him, a strangely measuring look in her eyes. "But then you'd know more about 'difficult' than Ah would." Her voice was soft and her words were a simple statement but he could sense the underlying question in them.

"Probably, but I've had a bit more time to accept it than you have. And I didn't have some foreign presence ripping around inside my head neither."

She nodded and turned her attention back to the falling rain. For a few moments, there was silence between them. When she finally spoke again, her words were so soft, he nearly didn't hear them.

"What was it like for you?" She turned to face him, something strange burning in her eyes. "Being trapped inside that lab?"

The question shouldn't have caught him by surprise. But it did. He should have expected one of the students to ask him about it eventually. He just never guessed that it would come so soon and from the person it did. He took a deep breath, looking out the window, trying to collect his thoughts.

She stood next to him, silent, waiting for his answer.

He thought back for a moment to his time in the lab. He felt a surge of rising panic, his heartbeat beginning to speed up as he took another deep breath trying to calm down. With effort, he pushed the panic down and began to try and explain to her what it had been like without telling her anything that he might have been forced to do.

His voice shook as he began but leveled off as he continued. "Imagine a place so desolate, so full of hatred and horror and violence that you feel yourself gagging whenever you think about it too hard. Imagine a place where they force you to do things so hideous, they would make the worst serial killers known look like nothing more than misbehaving children.

"Imagine a place so full of pain and torture and bloodshed that to dream about, even in your worst nightmares would drive you beyond the brink of your sanity until it shattered your mind and left you as an empty screaming shell. And the only way to escape the truth of that place was to retreat so deep inside of yourself that even God couldn't find you anymore." His voice was quiet, his eyes unfocused as he found himself drawn back into the lurid memories of that place.

For a moment he was afraid that his rescue and his life at the mansion since were little more than a tantalizing dream. And any moment, he was going to wake up to find the dream gone with nothing more to show for it than hazy recollections to haunt him for the rest of his days.

He felt Rogue reach out and take his hand in her gloved one. Unexpectedly, he felt his eyes begin to burn with unshed tears and he mentally shook himself to keep from breaking down in front of her. He squeezed her hand in gratitude. He looked up at her and saw the pain and sorrow on her face and her own eyes shining with unshed tears.

"How on God's green Earth did you even make it until Logan found you?"

He shrugged looking out the window once more as he tried desperately to shove away the pain the memories still caused him. He wasn't here to talk about what had been done to him; he was here to talk to her. "I don't know. I don't think I ever will." He paused and then turned his attention back to her. "But he saved me and I think the reason he was meant to save me because I was meant to save you."

Rogue let go of his hand, confusion written all over her face. "Me? What are you talkin' about? Ah don't need savin'." She turned away from him, crossing her arms across her chest.

He took a step closer, feeling a wave of fear coming off of her as he pressed the issue.

"Don't you? I saw you today Rogue, in the west wing of the mansion walking down the hall. I saw your body but the person inside of it wasn't you." If he hadn't been looking so closely, he would have missed the small wince she gave as he spoke.

She scoffed, almost laughing as she replied. "Of course it was me. Who else could it have been?" Her voice was cheerful but there was an underlying tone of tension in it and he could tell it was forced.

Jimmy dropped his voice a bit, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "You can't fool me Rogue. I was trained with deadly earnest to be the best assassin the world has ever seen. I know that wasn't you today in the hall. You might fool most of the people here, but you can't fool me. It might have been your body, your face but your walk, your smile, your voice, none of it was yours."

"Ah don't know what you mean." Her voice was whisper soft and she shook off his hand, still trying to play it off.

Jimmy sighed never taking his eyes off her as he kept pushing. "You don't have to pretend with me Rogue. You don't have to lie to me, or yourself. What's going on? Tell me, or I go to Logan and I tell him everything." He watched her as she mulled it over. He could see the fear on her face, feel it come off her in waves. But whether it was fear that he might indeed tell Logan, or fear over what was happening to her he couldn't tell.

After a moment, she turned back to him, a strangely determined look on her face. "What do you know about the accident?"

Jimmy shrugged. "Logan told me what happened if that's what you're asking."

She sighed, again rubbing her temples. "Did he tell you what happens when Ah touch someone?"

Jimmy nodded. "Did he tell you that this time was different, and not just because Ah killed someone with it?" Jimmy shook his head. "When Ah killed Jennifer, her personality was trapped inside my head. But no one knew until it was almost too late. Ah was supposed ta feel guilt about what had happened, that's only natural. But the professor told me that because Jennifer's personality stayed so strong, so alive in my mind for so long, it amplified that guilt. She was slowly killin' me with my own pain.

"If nothing had been done, she would have eventually overwhelmed my personality and taken over. Ah would have died all because of a sense of guilt."

Jimmy nodded absently, his mind whirling. Suddenly, many things about her behavior made sense to him. "But that didn't happen."

"No, luckily the Professor was able to suppress her personality and soften the guilt Ah felt about what had happened."

Something clicked in Jimmy's mind as her fear spiked once more. "Something's changed hasn't it? You don't think its working anymore do you?"

Rogue shook her head. "Ah've been having headaches, real bad ones too. They come on real sudden and leave just as fast. And in the past few days, Ah've been blacking out and comin' to in places Ah don't remember goin' to. Ah haven't hurt nobody but it scares me." He voice quivered slightly as she spoke.

He watched as she fought for control and knew this was the real source of the fear he felt from her. That something was causing her to lose control over herself once more when she had only just regained it. "You think it has something to do with your work with the professor?"

Rogue shrugged. "Ah don't know. Ah've been afraid to tell anybody. Afraid that they might think Ah've finally gone out of my mind." She looked down at the floor, unwilling to meet his eyes.

He reached out and touched her shoulder, squeezing it until she looked back up at him. "You aren't crazy Rogue." His voice was gentle and his face was sympathetic.

There was a sudden flash of anger in her eyes. "Ah know that. But if this is her tryin' ta break free again, what do Ah do? If the world's strongest telepath can't tie her down inside my mind, what hope do Ah have?"

Without thinking, Jimmy let his gut instincts take over and said the first thing that came to his mind. "Leave here. Go somewhere with someone you trust. Just whatever you do, leave the mansion."

She looked at him surprise, not quite comprehending what he'd just said. "What? Why would Ah do that?"

"Did you ever think that maybe the reason she's stayed so strong is because of the memories she has of this place? That maybe the reason she can't stay quiet long enough to fade away is because everything around you keeps her awake?" Even as he spoke, he realized that the words made a great deal of sense.

Rogue shook her head, her face puzzled. "No, Ah don't think Ah've thought of that."

"I don't think the professor has either. But I think you need to leave and fast, before she gets any stronger."

"But where would Ah go?"

Jimmy shrugged. "Somewhere she doesn't know somewhere she's never been. If there's nothing to call to her, there won't be any reason for her to struggle any longer. She'll quiet down and fade away like the others did."

Rogue snorted softly at his words and turned her attention back out to the window. "How could you possibly know anything about this? You're just a kid."

He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. His face went still as he let the truth shine out from his eyes. Suddenly he didn't look like a carefree teenager but more like a battle hardened veteran. "We both know that I haven't been a kid for a very long time now. Just give it some thought. It can't make things any worse than they already are."

Rogue simply nodded silently. Jimmy left her standing at the window watching the rainfall.

* * *

Rogue stood at the window for a long time after Jimmy left, staring at the rain, not seeing it as she thought about what he'd said; his words rolling around in her head over and over. A litany she couldn't forget or even stop thinking about. She wondered if he was right, if there really was no other option for her. 

_ Leave the mansion. _

The phrase haunted her. How could she leave the mansion, the school, the team? How could she turn her back and simply walk away when she'd been through hell and back just to get here in the first place? How long would she be gone? Would she ever come back?

The questions troubled her. This place was her home; the people here were her family. They had been for the past three years. Ever since she'd discovered that she was a mutant; ever since the day that her father had run her off in a fit of misguided hatred and rage and shame. And being here had taught her to dream again at point in her life when she thought dreaming far beyond her. How could she possible leave that behind, for even a short period of time?

Sighing loudly, she turned from the window one final time and headed back to her room. Despite the gravity of her thoughts and fears, she still had some homework to finish. Perhaps after she'd spent some time doing that, she could once more turn her attentions to whether or not she would take Jimmy's advice.

She opened her door and walked in, surprised to see Remy standing and looking out her window. Smiling, she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back.

He reached up and touched her gloved hands, sighing as he did so.

She sighed as she leaned into his back, relaxing at the feel of him against her, her face pressed against him, feeling the tension melting from her body at such a simple touch.

"Remy 'as been looking for you, petite." His voice was soft, his accent strangely thick and heavy on his words.

She let go of him and he turned his head slightly to look at her, his red eyes seeming to glow like red coals as he touched her hair gently, being careful that only his two gloved fingers touched her face. She shivered slightly at his touch. "Ah've been thinking fer awhile. There's been some stuff on my mind. Have you been waitin' fer me?"

Remy nodded and he turned to gaze out the window once more.

Rogue caught a glimpse of something strange in his expression, sadness in his eyes that she didn't understand. Concerned, she draped her arm around his waist, standing next to him, lending him her strength. "What's wrong?"

Remy shrugged slightly, never taking his eyes from the rain outside. "Not'ing petite; Remy 'as just been t'inking."

"Did it help?"

He shook his head. "Non."

"Do you want to talk about it sugah?"

Again, there was a cryptic expression and shrug as he pulled away from her slightly. "Remy is not sure he should talk to you 'bout dis."

Confused, she dropped her arm from around his waist, crossing them as she turned to look at his profile. "And that would be because?"

Another shrug. "It be about Logan."

She shook her head, not really understanding for a moment. "Logan? What about him?"

"You know dat Remy does not like da man." There was a hint of exasperation in his tone, as if he were explaining something important to a small child who couldn't seem to grasp the concept.

His words surprised her and yet she had been expecting them for some time. She knew how Remy felt about Logan; only a fool would have been blind to the hostility between them. But she had never expected Remy to admit to _her_ that he had a problem with the feral mutant. Largely because Remy knew how close the two were and he was no fool.

Speaking badly about Logan to her would be very, very foolish and, up to this point, it was something he had never ever done. But even with this surprising admission, she was still clueless as to exactly what and why he was trying to tell her. "Yer right, Ah do know that but yer gonna have ta tell me more than that if you expect me ta understand just what the hell is going on."

Remy sighed. "Remy knows dat you care for him, dat he holds a special place in yer heart. Remy does not wish to…tarnish dat for you."

Several times before, when Remy had come to her upset and unwilling to speak, most often after an encounter with Logan or Ororo, Rogue had left him be. Because she knew what had caused those periods of silence and because she knew that to ask him about it would be to open a door to an argument she simply wasn't ready to have.

It was one of those subjects that they both knew intuitively to avoid; much as very old friends and companions unthinkingly know what can and cannot be said to each other. But it seemed that now the time had come to broach the topic. Forcibly caged emotions had been building and they had finally reached the point of needing to be released before they caused an emotionally explosive venting that would do far more harm than good.

And yet, even as Rogue realized this, and even as she realized that Remy was still trying to protect her by avoiding the issue, she felt a touch of frustration and annoyance at the whole damned mess.

It spurred on the pounding in her head and made her grit her teeth even as she tried to keep her voice level and calm. "Remy, your personal feelings towards Logan are just that, _your_ personal feelings. Ah don't expect you ta like everyone Ah do and what you think about the man isn't going to change what Ah feel about either him or you." She reached up, absently rubbing her temples, noticing as she did so that he looked at her with true concern.

She let her hands drop trying to draw his attention away from her headache. "Besides, Ah know him in a way you never could; Ah don't expect you or anyone else ta understand that. So spill it. What's all this got to do with Logan?" She waited for a moment, fearful that he would ask her about the pain; waited to see if he would broach the topic of her headaches again.

For a moment he looked as if he might say something more and she held her breath. But then he turned his attention back to the rainfall outside, saying nothing about it. "Remy has tried to live wit da fact that his Stormy is dating da Wolverine. But Remy cannot." His voice was quiet but there his words were colored with pain and weariness.

She reached out to take his hand many things finally beginning to make sense. "Is that why have you been such an ass these past few weeks? Because you're upset over who Ororo's dating?" She kept her tone light, teasing him; poking fun at his anger. There was a sly smile on her face as she tried to dissolve some of his anger.

"Remy was not an ass, he was upset." His tone would have sounded indignant coming from anyone else. But for some reason it sounded childish and pouting to Rogue.

She giggled slightly not bothering to hide her brilliant smile. "Sometimes with you there's not that big a difference."

A ghost of a smile touched Remy's stern face and he fought to contain himself as he tried to maintain his stoic expression. "What's dat s'pposed to mean?"

She touched his arm, letting her laughter die away. She knew that she would more than likely need to soothe his ego later. "Just what I said sugah. Sometimes I can't tell the difference between the two. This time wasn't any different."

Remy shrugged but remained silent as he stared out the window.

After a moment of waiting, she nudged him to get his attention again. "So are you gonna tell me what happened or not?"

He sighed loudly. "Remy tried ta talk ta Stormy but she wouldn't listen. Dere was a fight between us."

She groaned softly at his clipped words, knowing very well what the fight had most likely consisted of. She touched her hand to her forehead gently as the pounding at her temples moved to settle like a thundercloud behind her eyes. "Please tell me that ya haven't done something phenomenally stupid."

He chuckled, the sound deep and full of mirth. "Why would you say dat petite?"

Frustrated, she turned her full ire on him and let him have the verbal lashing she was holding back. "Because Ah know you and yer damned pride is only exceeded by the size of yer ego."

Again he chuckled. "Very funny petite."

She waited but he said no more. "By yer silence Ah'd say ya did do something stupid. So just what'd ya do?"

He sighed looking at her, trying to make her understand. "Remy told Ororo da truth, dat he did not t'ink Logan was da man for her."

She reached out and slugged him, mindful of her new strength but still giving him enough to make it sting. "Remy you pompous ass, can't you see how happy they are?"

He grabbed his shoulder, rubbing it ruefully as he stepped back out of her range. "Yes he can, but dat still does not change da fact dat Remy does not approve."

Rogue resisted the urge to hit him again, running her hands through her hair instead and giving a small scream of annoyance. "Remy sometimes you can be so damned dense." Suddenly a new thought occurred to her. She stepped towards him, jabbing him in the chest. "Somehow Ah don't think this is the end of the conversation. What happened when you told this to Ororo?"

He shook his head, grabbing her by the shoulders, stopping her tirade. "Dat does not matter. Remy only came to find you to tell you dat he is leaving da mansion. Remy cannot stay here anot'er moment."

She looked at him in confusion, not understanding a thing he'd just said to her. "Leaving, but why?"

Remy let go of her, turning away, his agitation growing as he began pacing the room. "Because Remy cannot be happy here any longer. He is going back to New Orleans for a bit. He came to say good-bye."

Rogue's eyes nearly popped out her head as she tried to keep pace with his sudden frantic movements. She couldn't believe what he'd just said; couldn't understand what he meant. Or even why he was contemplating leaving. "What? You've got to be kiddin' me. You can't leave like this."

Remy threw his hands into the air, real anger finally beginning to surface. The first time he'd shown the emotion since she'd walked into the room. "Remy has no choice. Ororo made her choice, now Remy must make his."

She reached out, grabbing his arm and stopping him in mid stride. "Choice, what choice? You aren't makin' any sense."

Remy turned to face her, his red eyes glittering strangely as he reached out to take her gloved hands in his own. "None of dat matters now. Remy is leaving. But he does not want to go alone. Come wit me."

Again, she felt a sense of shock as she stood there, astonished at his words. Dimly she heard herself give the expected response, that part of her suddenly divided from her conscious control. "Remy, this is my home, I can't leave."

"Please petite. Remy needs you to come wit him. He has seen how unhappy you are here since da accident. Come wit me to da swamp; it is very peaceful dere. It might help."

She took a deep breath meaning to tell him no again when she felt herself pause. Unbidden, Jimmy's earlier words came back to her.

_ Leave here. Go somewhere with someone you trust. Just whatever you do, leave the mansion. _

A few moments before, those words had filled her with fear and anxiety wondering if she should follow the advice. But now, as the words floated back up from her memory, she felt a sense of calm come over her. The fear had disappeared.

There was a sense of rightness to the decision; almost as if she'd been waiting for just this moment to make the decision. As if she'd been waiting for the right person to come to her with the same words.

_ Leave the mansion_.

She smiled slightly feeling the utter certainty of her decision. She squeezed Remy's hands in her own, her eyes never leaving his as she gave her answer. "Alright, Ah'll come. When do we leave?"

He smiled at her, kissing her gloved hand as he led her to the closet. "Today, pack as quick as you can."

She nodded, turning her attention to packing up some belongings. As she passed her desk, she glanced down a notepad catching her eye. "Just let me leave a note."


	25. Hitting the Fan

Summary: Rogue and Remy have run off, Logan and Ororo discuss her training and Logan discovers just who it was that encouraged Rogue to leave.

Author's Note: I promise that things will start to get better after this, for everyone. At least until I decide to mess with them all again.

* * *

Logan stared up at the ceiling, gently caressing Ororo's back as they lay together on the sofa in the room he'd found her in moments after her argument with Remy. Outside, the rain still fell gently over the mansion grounds soaking the semi-frozen ground. He wondered if she even realized it. 

He shifted slightly on the sofa, feeling the comforting weight of her body across his as he moved. He tightened his arm across her, a strong feeling of contentment washing over him as she simply snuggled into him. The movement brought a slight smile to his face.

She lay sprawled across him, her head against his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. The steady rhythm of it calmed her somewhat and soothed her frayed emotions. Her eyes stared off into the distance as she let her mind wander; trying to avoid the heavier emotions Remy's words had dragged to the surface.

Logan looked down at her, unable to see her face past the white curtain of her hair. But he didn't need x-ray vision to tell him what the expression on her face was at that moment; he'd seen it often enough before.

Her brow would be furrowed; her face a study of concentration. Her eyes would be unfocused and she would appear to be looking off into the distance as her thoughts turned inward. She would also be biting her lip gently, worrying it between her teeth as her thoughts tumbled around inside her head.

And he didn't need to be a telepath to guess just what she was thinking and feeling at that moment. He gave a soft sigh as he pondered the pain her brother had caused her.

There were so few people in her life that she let in, that she allowed to touch her heart. She was such a private person, so afraid of hurting someone and of being hurt herself. God knew that she'd been hurt often enough in the past. And somehow, she'd always survived, always managed to move on and repair the damage.

But this argument with Remy worried Logan. And not simply because it was just another instance of her being hurt by someone she loved. But because of who had caused the pain. Because this time it hadn't simply been some stranger or friend or even an egotistical jerk that had twisted Ororo's heart. This time her pain had been caused by a member of her own family; someone she had trusted more than anyone else.

This was for her, in a very real sense, a betrayal beyond anything she might have suffered before. She'd been forced to choose between something that made her happy and something that made her brother happy.

Faced with a no win situation, she'd done the only thing she could do; she'd made that choice; very reluctantly but she'd still chosen. And in a very short time, she would be forced to face the consequences of that choice no matter how much pain that might cause in and of itself.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he felt her shift above him. He chuckled quietly as she absently traced random patterns across his chest with her fingers. He took a deep breath as he looked down at her again and broke the silence in the room. "I been thinkin'."

Her fingers continued their lazy movements undeterred by the sudden break in the silence. She watched her hands as they moved around and across his generous chest, not looking up at his words. "About?"

Her hands distracted him slightly as they continued moving. Not wanting to encourage her, he reached down, a slight smile on his face as he grabbed her hands, stilling them against him. "What no rippin' on me fer havin' a brain?"

She took a deep breath, lifting her head to look him in the eye. She shook her head slightly as she pulled her hands free, an impish sparkle in her azure eyes. "I know that you are very intelligent Logan. I have seen that for myself many times. If I occasionally choose to ignore that because you are a male of the species, well one can hardly fault me for such a usually accurate assumption." She laid her head back on his chest, her fingers once more beginning their lazy wanderings.

He flinched at her words and chuckled as he let his head fall back, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. "Ouch darlin'." He laid a hand over his heart as if truly wounded and was pleased to hear her chuckle at his dramatics. For a few moments the silence returned as he lay there and enjoyed the feel of her hands upon his body.

She waited for him to continue trying to be patient. But after a few moments of silence from him, her curiosity got the better of her. And she spoke up, her soft voice pulling him from the pleasant sensation. "What were you thinking of love?"

He smiled slightly, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling, opening his mouth to tell her about his worries and fears when something completely different and unexpected came out. "I've been thinkin' about stepping up yer trainin' program." For a moment he was speechless, his mind racing as he wondered exactly where that sentence had come from. For a moment he thought about playing it off as a bit of a joke, something he hadn't really meant. But in the next instant, he decided to run with it and see where it took them. Maybe it would open the door to the important discussion of her brother.

Her roving fingers stopped and he felt her weight shift on the couch as she levered herself up to look at him. "You mean that you have been taking it easy on me this whole time?" The tone of her voice was puzzled and slightly indignant at the mere thought that he might have done such a thing.

He chuckled again, tearing his gaze away from the embossed ceiling to meet her puzzled gaze. "No, no I hain't done that. And I ain't gonna start neither. No, I was thinkin' 'bout addin' to it a bit. Maybe some light weapons trainin', small arms that sort of thing." He watched the puzzlement flow across her face as she pondered the idea.

"But why?"

He shrugged even as he reached out to touch her face gently. The idea may have come way out of left field, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it was a good idea. Now he just needed to convince her of that. "Ya told me that first day that ya didn't want ta become a liability ta the team. This stuff'll make ya even less of one."

She didn't seem convinced. "I abhor guns Logan."

He dropped his hand, his face serious for a moment as he tried a tactic that had never failed before, a bit of guilt. "Maybe, but it might save yer life or someone else's. Are ya willin' ta risk that cause ya don't like guns? Ya started this thing darlin'. Let's finish it." He waited tensely for her next words, not touching, not pushing, simply waiting.

She sighed loudly even as she recognized the wisdom of his words. There might come a time when that would be her only option. Stranger things had happened to her and the team before. The Goddess knew the knowledge wouldn't have helped them on Ellis Island, but in another situation, it might give her the edge she needed.

Could she really make a choice to not learn simply because of her personal feelings? Could she really make a decision to deny herself the skills to protect not only her own life, but those she loved as well? And if she did make that choice, could she live with the consequences of it afterwards?

Ororo possessed a fighter's spirit. There had never been a challenge that she had not faced head on with grim determination and sheer pride backing her up. That was not to say that she had never failed or known defeat. The goddess knew that both had happened to her before.

But each of her defeats, each of her failures had taught her something valuable and she felt no shame in having faltered. No matter what scientists now labeled her, she was only human. And like any human being, she was bound to make mistakes.

The question now became whether she would face this new challenge the same way she had faced so many others before or whether she would simply let the moment pass her by in order to adhere to a set of rigid principles.

And that she realized what really lay at the heart of her hesitation. Not a true sense of fear at the knowledge she would gain. But a sense that by allowing compromise on one issue, one facet of her personal code she would find it easier to allow the next and the next.

Until one day she would awaken to find that all of the high ideals she'd once held herself to were gone. Swept away by her own rationalization that what she did, she did to help those she loved. She knew she had a price. No matter how self righteous people became at the notion, she knew the truth. Eventually everyone could be bought. She'd just been lucky enough to have never been faced with her own threshold of self betrayal.

She sighed softly somewhat surprised at the sudden weight of her thoughts. She knew the cause for the dark mood she found herself in. But had not realized just how much it had dragged her heart down until Logan had brought up the issue of her training.

Shaking herself mentally, she took stock of just what Logan had said. He wanted to train her in the use of weapons. That did not mean he was training her to kill, only to defend. His focus for her and the students had always been defense. Why should that focus change simply because the means behind it had?

She realized in that moment that she really needed very little thought on the matter, once she ignored the dark emotions Remy had dragged to the surface. One day in the future, she might find herself in a situation where she would be forced to take stock of her principles. But until that time came she would do nearly anything, learn nearly any skill if it meant she could better protect those she cared about.

"Very well. But I am only doing this because I want to be sure I have done everything in my power to protect those I care about. Do not expect me to become a modern day Annie Oakley."

He smiled slightly and leaned back, picturing her as a rough-riding gun-slinging western woman. "Wouldn't dream of it darlin'. 'Sides I like ya in pants better. Shows off yer nice round…auhfff." His words were suddenly cut off as elbow landed on his stomach and she leaned into him. He looked up and caught the dangerous glint in her eyes.

"My apologies Logan, what were you saying?"

He shot her a pained look as he reached down to move her elbow, resisting the urge to rub the spot. "Funny darlin', real funny. If ya keep pokin' holes in me, I ain't gonna play with ya no more." He sounded like a petulant child for a moment and it made her laugh.

"Somehow I am not really worried about that ever happening." She giggled slightly and began stretching muscles stiff with disuse and lying in one position for too long.

He watched her for a moment admiring the sleek lines of her body as she moved above him. And a feral grin stretched across his face as he decided to poke fun at her one more time. "Hey darling?" His hands slid up her sides and he watched as her eyes closed at his sure touch.

"Yes, love?" She smiled slightly, her eyes still closed.

"It's still rainin' outside ya know."

Her eyes snapped open and whipped to the window. "What? By the Goddess, I had not realized." She stood quickly and walked towards the window, muttering under her breath all the while. A moment later, the rain stopped, the sky cleared and the sun shone brightly once more.

He stepped up behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders and massaging the tense muscles he found there. "How ya doin' darlin'?"

She looked up at his reflection, smiling slightly. "Better Logan."

He nodded, continuing to rub the tension away as she sighed. "Good to hear. Do ya need to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. We both know how much of an ass my brother can be at times."

His hands dropped to rest on her hips and he leaned against her back. Simply letting her feel him pressed against her, showing her that she had his support. "Yeah, we do."

She sighed again, letting her own hands cover his on her hips. "I am just sorry that you were caught between us."

He gently turned her to face him, mentally cursing Remy for his egotistical bull shit attitude and the pain he was causing his own sister. "Darlin', I told ya before that I don't give a damn what he thinks or says. If he wants ta be an ass, let him. It ain't no skin off my nose if he wants ta shoot himself in the foot."

She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck as she met his serious face. "That may be true, but he did not just shoot himself this time, did he?"

Logan let his hands fall for a moment, sighing loudly. "No, guess he didn't." Again there was silence between them as Remy's words came between them again. Logan looked over her shoulder and watched the sky begin to darken again as her emotions once more began overwhelming her control. He reached down and grabbed her hand, dragging her to the door. "Come on, let's get outta here. I think ya and I need a breather tonight."

She trailed behind him, unsure of where they were going but trusting him nonetheless. "What do you mean Logan?"

He reached the door and opened it, dragging her out into the hallway. "I mean that this group of adolescent hellions can survive without us for awhile. Ya up for a ride?" He stopped at the stairs and turned to her.

Her eyes lit up and barely restrained herself from leaping up and down in sheer, childish joy. "Yes, that would be lovely."

He nudged her towards the stairs as he turned towards the door. "Great, go change yer clothes and grab yer gear. I'll go get the bike. Meet me outside in ten minutes or I leave without ya."

She reached out to touch his face and found herself pulled into his arms. "In your dreams tough guy. You forget how fast I can fly." Her face was scant inches from his as she spoke. Her voice soft and seductive and flirtatious.

Logan smiled and decided to torment her a bit. He dropped his voice a bit, letting a touch of his inner animal color his words. "You darlin' are teasin' me. I know exactly how fast ya can fly. But wouldn't the chase be fun?" He kissed her softly and watched her eyes darken with passion.

She pulled away from him and moved up the stairs. "And you, my love are simply wicked."

He watched her run up the stairs for a moment, enjoying the view. Then, with a smirk on his face, he headed to the garage to get the bike.

* * *

Moments later, the couple roared away from the mansion. Logan sat on the bike, holding onto the handlebars, enjoying the feel of Ororo's arms wrapped around him, her head on his shoulder. He glanced back, smiling slightly at the picture she made. 

Her eyes were closed, a half smile on her face as she rested against him. She'd forgone the helmet and her brilliant white hair streamed behind him as he raced down the road.

He turned forward once more and gunned the throttle, knowing at that moment she would relish the speed. He felt her head lift from his shoulder as she leaned back slightly.

Chuckling he sped up even more, letting the wind roar and flow around them even faster.

They rode around for over two hours, stopping only to grab something simple to eat and change drivers. Ororo had been skeptical at first but as they pulled back up to the mansion, she was more than willing to admit that the time away had done both her mind and heart a lot of good.

She stopped the bike just outside of the garage and cut the engine. She and Logan got off and stood facing each other, both of them a touch breathless from the ride.

"Darlin', remind me next time not to let ya drive after I've eaten." He touched his stomach for a moment and let out a gentle burp.

She chuckled as they wheeled the bike back into its spot in the garage. "Something wrong Logan? Too much for you perhaps?"

"Ya coulda warned me ya were gonna do that ya know." He kicked out the kickstand and settled the bike.

"Yes, but where is the fun in that?" They walked out of the garage.

"Damn darlin' I had no idea ya even knew how to do that. Who the hell taught you to do it anyway?"

She reached out to wrap her arm around his shoulder, as his arm came up around her waist. "I am a woman of many talents tough guy."

He smirked. "Ain't that the truth."

They walked into the mansion, shedding their jackets as they went, still chuckling as they headed to the staircase.

Logan caught movement out of the corner of his eye and half-turned, his nose telling him it was Jean and she was highly agitated. Logan grabbed Ororo's hand and pulled, stopping her on the stairs.

She hurried up to them as they stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Logan, we've been looking every where for you. Remy's run off with Rogue."

At those words he turned his complete attention to her. He couldn't even hide his surprise. "What?"

Ororo came down the stairs and walked to her friend, placing her hand on the redhead's arm sensing her agitation.

"Remy and Rogue have run off!"

Logan looked at Ororo, his eyes cold and hard as steel. "Ororo, if I find him, I'm gonna kill him." Logan was angry. No matter what he said about Remy not coming between them, he was still there.

"Logan, be calm. There is a reason behind this. My brother is many things but he would not have taken Marie with him without good reason. He loves her, he would not endanger her if he could prevent it."

Logan nodded slightly granting her that one concession before turning his attention to more important things. "When did she leave?"

Jean shook her head. She looked at both Logan and Ororo, unsure of what exactly was going on. But pushed it aside, waiting for the right time to find out. "I don't know. We might not have found out until tomorrow if I hadn't gone by your room and found this note pinned to your door." She held out the note.

Logan took the note from Jean and scanned it quickly.

_ Dear Logan,_

_By the time ya've read this, Ah'll have left the mansion. Ah know ya think Ah'm crazy fer leaving but this is something Ah've gotta do. Ah can't stay here another moment; so much of Jennifer is still here that Ah wonder if she'll ever rest in my mind if Ah stay._

_Don't worry bout me, Ah've asked Remy to come along. He knows a place where Ah can start to put all of this behind me and begin healing. Ah'm sorry if yer angry. Ah hope that by the time Ah come back, ya'll understand why Ah had to do this._

_Rogue _

Logan crumpled the note tightly in his fist, feeling the paper crinkle and pinch the flesh of his hand. "Has she been havin' problems again?"

Both women shook their heads. "None that I'm aware of, none that the professor has mentioned. But who knows with her; she's too damned quiet, keeps too much to herself. I probably wouldn't have noticed unless it bit me on the ass."

"She seemed to be doing a great deal better. I do not understand why she would simply run off like this."

Logan scoffed loudly not bothering to hide his disbelief. "She ran off cause Remy asked her ta, that's why."

"You do not know that for sure Logan."

"Come on Ororo, we both know why he left. Cause he's pissed at the both of us. Maybe he decided ta drag her along for the ride." Logan could feel himself losing the hold he had on his temper, snapping at her slightly.

"Perhaps. But I do not think he did it to hurt anyone." Her soothing, firm tone did not change. No matter what Remy had said to her, no matter how much he had hurt her just hours ago, she still had faith in that.

He stepped around them and headed to Charles's study. It was time to cut to the chase and go about getting her back. "I'm going ta see Chuck, get him ta track her down."

Jean spoke up stopping him. "He won't, Logan. I've already asked him to. He said that she left for a good reason."

"Then he must know what is going on."

"I think he does, but he's keeping it to himself."

"Then I'm gonna go find out why." He stomped off even as Jean yelled after him.

"Logan, he has his reasons. No matter what you might think, there's good reason behind letting her go."

He ignored her and kept walking. He trusted Charles, he really did. The man was one of the few people in the world that had more than earned that esteemed regard. And she was probably right; there probably was a reason behind it all. But he had to hear it for himself. He had to stand in front of the man and hear the words come from his own lips. He just couldn't believe it otherwise.

"We'll see." He muttered as he walked away.

* * *

Logan burst into Charles's office with violent force. His nose told him that the older man was inside with Hank. The door bounced against the wall, the resulting sharp bang startling the other occupant in the room. Logan stood there a moment, feeling his rage build as he stared at the bald mutant. 

Xavier simply regarded him calmly, waving him inside as if there were nothing out of the ordinary about Logan nearly kicking his door in. "Logan, is there anything I can help you with?"

Logan stomped in, noticing that Hank had stood and taken a step closer to the Professor. "She left Chuck. She just up and left. I want ya ta find her."

Hank stepped forward, putting himself in between Charles and the angered mutant. "Logan, perhaps it would be best if you took a moment to calm yourself."

Logan snarled slightly leveling his gaze on the doctor. "Stay outta this blue boy. This is between me and him."

Charles reached out and gently brushed Hank aside as he rolled his chair forward until he was right in front of Logan. His voice was calm, his face smooth and unreadable. He did not seem at all concerned to be confronting Logan in his current, angered state. "I am very aware that Rogue has left the school Logan. I was aware of her departure the moment she left."

Logan couldn't hide his surprise at the Professor's words. "And ya let her go? Why didn't ya stop her? Why haven't ya been lookin' for her?" His shout rang throughout the room adding an edge to his anger. He began pacing; frustration and edgy rage pushing his feet to move. Beneath the surface, he could feel the animal pacing as well.

"Because she made it very clear that she was adamant about leaving." The calm voice again.

"Dammit Chuck, she's sick she doesn't know what she's sayin'." He snapped back feeling the animal drift slowly to the surface as he let his anger burn unabated.

"On the contrary, I think she was very aware of what she was doing."

Logan stared at him for a moment. He was dimly aware that Hank still stood next to him but didn't care any longer. They might as well have been alone together in the room for all that he cared at the moment. All he wanted to do was find Rogue and bring her home. At the moment, it was all he cared about.

So he studied the powerful mutant in front of him for several quiet and tense moments, wondering what was going on. Charles knew a great deal about what happened at the school, a great deal more than people realized. And most people attributed it to his abilities.

But Logan knew the truth. The man didn't need his powers when it came to the running of the school. He just simply paid attention to everyone around him. Often staying silent and letting them talk as if he didn't exist. People tended to trust him easily enough and often revealed a lot more than they thought or planned on. So maybe, in this case Rogue had come to him and told him she was going.

"She came to ya, didn't she? She came and told ya she was leavin'." With an effort, he reached out and grabbed a hold of his temper. It wasn't Charles's fault she wanted to leave and yelling at him wasn't going to change the fact that she was gone.

"Yes, she came to me a short time ago and told me everything. She wanted to be sure that she would graduate and that she had a home to come back to. I of course told her she would always had a place here and wished her the best of luck."

Logan stopped pacing, looking out the window. "So that's it. That's the end of it. Ya didn't ask where she was goin', ya didn't ask when she'd be back, ya just let her go."

"Yes."

Logan turned to face him once more, sighing slightly even as he felt a new wave of irritation come over him. "So I guess that me askin' ya ta use Cerebro ta find her would be a waste of time?"

"That would be a correct assumption."

Inside Logan seethed at the soothing tone of the professor's voice. The man was too damned calm about all of this. "This ain't a game Chuck. This ain't some kind of life exercise that's gonna make her stronger. This could kill her."

Charles sighed, wheeling closer to Logan. "Logan, no one here knows better than I just what is at stake. But this is something she must do. Jennifer's personality is too strong here. She is fighting my efforts to quiet her and tie her to Rogue's mind. Going somewhere that holds no memories for Jennifer is the last chance we have to save Marie's life."

The professor's words didn't really surprise Logan; he'd wondered if she'd been having a difficult time. Of course, she kept it to herself and no one had any idea about it, until now. And now he wondered if they were nearly too late. "Why didn't you think about this before? It woulda saved us all a lot of time. Not to mention that she wouldn't have run off on her own like this." There was anger and annoyance in his voice and he didn't care; he didn't even attempt to rein in. He was tired of trying to keep a handle on his temper when no one seemed willing to tell him the truth about what the hell was going on anymore.

"Unfortunately I did not think of it this time either. Jimmy is the one who suggested it."

Logan stilled, his mind racing at the professor's words. "Hold it a minute Chuck, are ya tellin' me that Jimmy's the one that suggested Rogue leave?"

Charles nodded. "Yes. She spoke to him a short time before she came to see me."

Without another word, Logan left the room, leaving the door open behind him.

* * *

Logan couldn't see past the red haze in front of him. He was angry. He was beyond angry. He was enraged. He stormed into Jimmy's room, slamming the door open without knocking. The door bounced against the wall with a resounding thud. 

Jimmy didn't jump. He didn't even appear startled. He just sat on his bed, quietly reading his book. It was almost as if he'd been expecting Logan.

"Why did ya tell her ta leave?"

Jimmy carefully marked his place in the book, placing it next to him on the bed.

Logan strode up to him, looking down at the younger man, fighting the anger inside of him. Logan repeated the question, his voice louder and full of anger. "Why did ya fuckin' tell her ta leave?"

Jimmy looked up at him with a calm, almost serene expression on his face. "Because she needed to leave." His voice was quiet, unshaken by the show of rage before him.

Logan clenched his hands, his knuckles brilliant white against his skin as deep inside of him the animal screamed for violence. "What fuckin' right do ya have ta decide that?" His voice was harsh and grating, full of the rage and the surging animal inside him.

"She needed to leave." Again that calm, quiet tone.

Logan waited for him to elaborate but was given only silence. "So that's it. Ya ain't gonna tell me nothin' else. Ain't even gonna offer an explanation." Dammit Jimmy, she needs to be here. We're her family we can help her."

Jimmy looked up at him, a strangely adult set to his young face as he shook his head. "No, you can't!"

Logan took a step back, from both Jimmy and his own rage. He could feel his control slipping. He was too close to the edge and he took just a moment to step back and push the animal back down. The animal did not budge; but it stopped pushing forward. "Says who? You? Well I ain't buyin' it. It's bad enough that she's run off but she had ta go off with that damn swamp rat. I'd like ta think that he ran off ta protect her but I know better. He ran off with her 'cause he's pissed at me and he figures this is the best way ta get back at me."

Jimmy shook his head. "Remy loves her. He understood that she needed to leave."

Logan waited for Jimmy to say more, to give him a clue as to why he thought she'd needed to leave. But there was nothing. He pushed forward, hunting for clues to find them. "So they just left. Just like that, she talks ta yau and they leave. Why didn't ya fuckin' come and tell us?"

Jimmy scoffed. "Because you would have tried to stop them."

"Yer damned right we would've."

Jimmy met his gaze, unafraid at the simmering anger that Logan was just barely holding onto. "She's going to be alright Logan; she just needs to be away for awhile."

Those quiet words were nearly Logan's undoing. "Ya really think so? She killed someone Jimmy. Worse yet, her powers have trapped that person's personality inside her head and its makin' it even worse. If we ain't there for her, the absorbed personality could overwhelm her. Do ya know what that means? It'll take over and she'll die. Do ya want that to happen?"

"No."

Logan reached down and grabbed the young boy by his shoulders, resisting the urge to shake him roughly. "Then tell me where she went."

Jimmy simply sat there, not fighting, not struggling. He simply let Logan do what he wanted. "I can't tell you that."

"Can't or won't?"

"Can't. She didn't tell me where they were going."

Frustrated, Logan released him and turned away. "This is just great, just fuckin' great. She's sick and needs help and ya practically helped her pack so she could run off ta God knows where with that damned Cajun."

"His name is Remy."

At the mention of the Cajun's name, the animal surged forward once more. Logan found himself struggling to hold onto it once more and managed a somewhat abrupt response. "I know what his damn name is." Behind him, Logan heard Jimmy stand up.

"You have to let her do this on her own."

"No, I don't." He snarled.

He felt Jimmy approach him and forced himself not to flinch or react when Jimmy reached out to touch his shoulder.

"She won't ever get over what she did if she comes back. She needs to be away for awhile. If you drag her back here, you'll kill her."

"We're her family. We can help her."

"No you can't." Again that calm and quiet tone.

Logan whirled on the young mutant, his eyes blazing and his fangs bared, the beast within so close to breaking free. "How the hell would ya know?" Logan's shout rang throughout the small room.

"Because she never had a choice! Neither of us ever had a choice!" The enraged reply filled the room, echoing off the walls and silencing Logan's previous shout.

Surprised, Logan went still. The beast quieted down and waited to see what would happen next.

Jimmy took several deep breaths and then pressed on. "You chose to be a killer, to take lives because of the greater good. But no matter what spin you put on it, you still chose. And because you chose, you can never understand what she's going through now.

"This isn't simply about killing someone, there's so much more to this than that. And all of you are ignoring that. You all love her but none of you can see, you least of all. You can tell her the right things, you can say words that sound right to you, but are they what she really needs to hear?

"No one was there for me when they made me a killer. There was no one there to tell me that I still had a choice to make. But I realized that I still had one; I could either give in to them and become the killer they wanted, or I could bide my time and disappear. I chose to wait and escape later. That was my choice.

"You told Ororo that what bothered you the most about all of it was the loss of choice for Rogue. But what you don't realize is that was just the tip of the iceberg. Rogue needed to be given a new choice to replace the one she lost. She needed to be given a chance to reassert control over her life again. But none of you could see that. You took over for her, made her choices for her, decided the next steps for her. You never gave her the opportunity to decide what she needed.

"Before the accident, all she had to worry about was not being able to control her powers; maybe even inadvertently hurting someone she cared about. But now she's lucky if she had any control over when she went to the bathroom. The accident caused Rogue to lose control over herself for however brief a moment. But afterwards, when she should have been allowed to regain that control, the rest of you stole her control over her life. All I've done is give it back to her"

Logan stood there for several tense moments, the anger simply gone as if it had never been. He'd never thought of any of it that way before. He'd never once thought that maybe Rogue's biggest problem wasn't just the accident but feeling like she had been cut adrift in her own life. He'd never once thought to ask her what she wanted or needed. He'd just made assumptions based upon his own experiences. Experiences that were a far cry from hers.

Now he realized that Jimmy had seen to the heart of her problem far more easily than anyone else. And when it became apparent that no one was going to do what needed to be done, he'd stepped in and filled the void himself.

Logan wondered if he was right. He wondered if some time away from all of the insanity was just what she needed. He wondered if she would be better off away from all of the people who had the best of intentions, but the worst of solutions in mind. More importantly, he wondered how he would ever thank Jimmy when she came back healed.

Logan reached out and touched Jimmy's shoulder, squeezing it once unsure of what to say.


	26. To Make You Feel My Love

Summary: Things begin to calm down at the mansion after Rogue and Remy's sudden departure and Logan turns his focus to more important things: surprising Ororo for Valentine's Day being just one of them.

Author's Note: Well, I have no excuse for this long time between updates. At least I don't think I do. I want to thank all of the wonderful reviews I've gotten from all of you. Especially those of you who've encouraged me not to forget about this little fic. And don't worry, the end is nigh. And I promise that it won't be nearly as long till my next update.

* * *

For several days after Rogue and Remy's sudden departure, the mansion seemed to be holding its breath. There was an air of tension throughout the grounds that everyone felt but could not find a cause for. It was almost as if something within it was waiting for the other shoe to fall; or perhaps it was simply waiting for an explosion. 

After all, Logan was not known for holding his temper in check. And most everyone who witnessed him stomping through the mansion on the fateful day of the couple's sudden disappearance, were witness first hand to the terrible fury within him.

He had swept through the mansion like a gale force storm radiating anger and rage in a cloud so thick some of the younger telepaths and empaths were overwhelmed and passed out. Jean and Hank were forced to spend the better part of a day soothing the psychic and emotional trauma caused by Logan's unshielded rage.

Then just as suddenly as it had come, that rage vanished; swept away during his argument with Jimmy by the irrefutable logic in the young man's words. And in its wake, a feeling of anticipation fell over the mansion while everyone waited to see what would happen next.

No one blamed Logan for his anger. It was common knowledge among the students that he and Remy didn't get along. The two had been seen clashing more than once by several students. And the gossip mill of the school ran rampant with rumors that the two had come to blows more than once. Add to that his strong concerns for Rogue and many were surprised that he simply hadn't run from the mansion to find her himself.

But Logan was no fool. He hadn't survived for as many years as he had by being stupid and rushing headlong into situations that were best left alone. And after talking with the professor, Logan realized that this was a situation he had no choice but to step back from. He was just too close to the whole damned thing to be objective about it.

The truth was that Rogue was better off where she was; away from the mansion and the memories that still called to the alien personality trapped inside her mind. And in all honesty, despite the hostility between them, there was really no one else that he trusted more with Rogue's life than Remy.

So, he would back away from them and let them be. It wasn't as if he had no clue where they had gone after all. And if worse came to worse, he could pry the information out of someone; it would just take time and energy he was not willing to spend right at the moment. He had so many other uses for that same time and energy and he planned on enjoying every one of them.

With Logan's easy acceptance of Rogue's leaving, Charles decided to no longer mince words with the rest of the students. He informed them that Rogue had left and he was unsure of just when she would be back. When asked, he told them the reasons for her leaving and that she had taken Remy with her.

Many of the students did not seem surprised by this new development in the minor drama that had become Rogue's life. In fact, many of Rogue's closest friends appeared somewhat relieved that she had gone. Almost as if they had been expecting it, or encouraging it themselves.

When faced with that revelation, Logan simply shrugged and continued as he was before, suddenly as patient as glacial ice, simply waiting for some contact from her. After all, there was more than enough to occupy his time and he had little left to call his own.

Between Ororo's new small arms training regime, his daily workouts with her in hand to hand combat and the defense course for the students, he was often run ragged by the end of the day. But, surprisingly, he found himself enjoying it. And the efforts did bear the sweetest rewards.

Ororo was surprisingly a natural when it came to the new tactics training he was teaching her. Despite her protests against learning to use guns, she was proving a very good shot. Given enough time, Logan was sure she'd rival some of the best trained sharp shooters he'd ever seen. The woman had the eyes of an eagle.

He planned on continuing working her on small arms for another couple of weeks. And then, as summer approached and they found themselves with more time to spend, he intended introducing other weapons training just for variety.

But for now he wanted to keep it simple and light. Small arms training, hand to hand and basic physical training, depending upon his mood. The one thing he continued to work on with her without fail was other uses for her powers; especially her ability to manipulate the wind.

So far they'd had little success in achieving exactly what Logan was looking for. Largely because there seemed to be an unseen barrier stopping all their efforts. And between the two of them they seemed to have run out of ideas on to go about accomplishing what he was asking her to do.

Logan wanted to use her ability to create a soft tendril of a breeze to create something harder, more whip-like, that could be used against anyone or anything that meant her harm. They'd managed more forceful tendrils to be sure but nothing that could be manipulated and used like a whip or cord. So they kept trying and the frustration over their failure kept mounting. Until suddenly, one day, they managed a breakthrough

It had only been a couple of days since Rogue and Remy's departure and Logan was in the gym pushing Ororo to try again. He knew they were missing one vital piece to finish the puzzle and make it work. But as of yet, he had no idea what it was.

So he kept pushing. "One more time 'Ro. Concentrate, the last one felt different. I think yer close."

Ororo took a deep breath and tried to coral her exhausted mind to the task before her. She opened her eyes, lifting her hand and willing the air around her to form into a whip-like structure. The atoms shifted, slipping against one another as they struggled against her control.

She shut her eyes pouring more and more of her will into the air until her arm began to shake. With a grunt of frustration, she wrapped her hand around the slipping molecules and lashed out with them. They hit the target with a resounding splat, not the sharp crack both of them had been hoping for.

Next to her, Logan shook her head as he examined the target. There wasn't even a dent in damn thing. He turned to her, noticing her fatigue for the first time.

Her arms were shaking slightly and she was swaying visibly as she stood there. Her legs felt as if they were made of jelly suddenly and she could feel her breath rasping harshly in and out of her lungs.

Logan swore softly, stepping closer and shoving her to the floor, afraid that if she didn't sit down, she was going to fall. He stood behind her, massaging her shoulders trying to ease some of the tension he found there

She groaned at the contact, the tight muscles in her neck and shoulders slowly relaxing under his skillful hands. She leaned back slightly, her eyes closed as her breathing evened out and deepened; the shaking in her legs and arms slowing and then stopping altogether.

He sighed loudly as she leaned into his touch. "Dammit 'Ro, ya coulda told me that last one was to much for ya." He reached behind them and grabbed at the pile of stuff he had dumped there, draping a towel over her sweat soaked shoulders before he thrust a large bottle of water into her hand.

"I know I should have, but I feel we are so close. I had to try just one more time." She gulped the water feeling the sudden wave of thirst hit her as his hands gave her one last squeeze before he kneeled down next to her.

He was quiet for several moments, watching the color come back into her face.

"If ya keep pushin' this hard, yer gonna hurt yerself or someone else. It ain't worth that darlin'." He watched her closely as she gulped her water, pleased that the shaking stopped almost immediately after she sat down.

"I know. But I do not like being denied something I very badly want." She gave him a slight pout and he laughed. She looked like a kid at Christmas who didn't get the gift they were asking for. It made her seem very sweet.

He smiled, recognizing the determined glint in her eyes. "Ya want this real bad don't ya?"

She nodded, taking another long draw from the water bottle.

"Tell ya what, maybe we should try somethin' different. Concentrating don't seem to be doing much but wearing ya out. We've been at it for months and ain't found a way to do it yet. Let's try another way." He stood, pulling her up with him.

She stood there for a moment, letting him dry her face and neck with the towel, thinking about what he said. "What do you suggest?"

"Let's try somethin' fun fer a change. Somethin' that gives ya a little bit of a challenge. Ain't no fun aimin' at that damned thing." He pointed to the target he had erected at the other end of the room. The target that had nary a mark on it since they'd begun working on the technique all those months ago.

She lifted her hands and sent the paper and wood contraption flying in a burst of wind. She smiled with satisfaction at the sound of it striking the floor and gave Logan her full attention. "That was fun. The damned thing has been making fun of me for a month now."

Logan laughed, picking up some foam targets that were often used in training some of the students. He held one up. "Ya can knock things away with wind, can't ya?"

She nodded. "Good, we'll start with these. I don't want ya to think about it, just react. Just think about pushing them away from ya." He started tossing them at her gently and she began knocking them back to him using her powers.

They continued the game for several minutes until Logan ran out of foam objects. Then, he reached back and grabbed some tennis balls and they continued on as before. All the while, Logan's voice droned on, encouraging and instructing her.

He started tossing a few at her at once, hoping to step up her concentration without stressing her too much. Then, he began tossing them to her faster and faster, his voice still droning on as he encouraged her efforts.

Then, at a moment when he knew her focus had sharpened and she had relaxed to the point that her body would react without thought, he reached for a heavier object just behind the pile of targets. He kept his voice calm and even, his motions the same as before, not giving her a clue as to his intentions as he lightly chucked the object in her direction.

The moment the piece of wood left his heads, he yelled a warning. "Think fast Storm." He watched as her instincts kicked in and she set herself in a defensive stance he'd taught her. He felt a pulse of power come from her as her eyes flashed brilliant white, nearly glowing against her dark skin and she raised her hand towards the oncoming threat.

There was a sharp crack, like a stroke of thunder and the board dropped from the air, neatly split into two pieces. For a moment there was silence in the room as both of them stared at the board on the floor.

Their eyes met across the room and they both began to smile. Without a word, Ororo threw herself at him and he caught her easily.

She wrapped her legs around him as he suddenly spun her around, her laughter ringing throughout the room. She kissed him soundly as he set her on her feet.

She twirled around the room unable and unwilling to contain the joy that the breakthrough had caused. "Did you see that? Can you believe it? By the Goddess that felt wonderful!"

He chuckled as he went over to the wood and picked it up, studying it closely. It was cleanly cut, almost like he'd taken his claws to it. "Damn darlin'. Remind me never ta piss ya off. I don't want ta know how much this might hurt." He handed her the wood as she chuckled. "Think ya can do it again?"

She nodded and watched as he walked over to the target, setting it up once more. She took several deep breaths and let her body take control. This time, when she lashed her hand out at the target, it splintered into multiple pieces before crashing to the floor.

Logan winced slightly at the loud echo it produced, too caught up in Ororo's excitement to really care about the pain in his ears. "Well it worked. I think we've done enough for today."

She gave him a somewhat pitiful look. "But, I want to keep trying. It has taken us so long to find a way for me to do this, I want to see if I can do more."

He reached out and gripped her shoulders tightly, squeezing slightly as he watched her eyes flutter shut. "Darlin', I can see yer dead on yer feet. You've done it twice, ya can do it again. Gotta learn to crawl before ya can learn to walk." He waved his hand on the target even as he nudged her towards the showers. "I'll clean up in here. Take a nice long soak and we'll talk about dinner when you're done." He gave her a final pat on her behind as she walked away.

* * *

After her initial success, Ororo progressed quickly, easily duplicating the _airwhip_ (as Logan had taken to calling it) again and again.. And in a couple of days, she was well on her way to mastering this latest facet of her powers. Both she and Logan were greatly encouraged by her progress and Logan began to think up new and interesting ways to test her limits. They were often seen with their heads together in the control room of the danger room, thinking of new scenarios that would allow Ororo to expand her limits. 

But as wrapped up as they were in each other, neither one was completely oblivious to either the passage of time or the impending holiday of Valentine's Day. Though they each were ignoring said holiday for differing reasons.

Logan usually tried to hide the fact that he was really quite capable of being romantic; he did have his reputation to consider after all. And he had never really understood the need for a nationally recognized holiday that celebrated love. He was pretty sure that Ororo found the holiday nearly as perplexing as he did.

But he knew that Ororo was still bothered by what her brother had said and done a short time ago. After all, it had only been a couple of weeks since he and Rogue had taken off to God knew where, fleeing the mansion each for their own reasons. And in that time, Ororo had appeared unfazed and unscathed by her brother's parting words. But he knew it was a farce; she was still hurting a great deal.

So, he decided to do something special for her to try and take her mind off of all the troubles they'd gone through in the last few months. Problem was he wasn't really sure just what he wanted to do for her. Everything he came up with was bit too clichéd or worse, just plain sappy in his mind. Neither of which was what he really wanted to present to the woman he loved.

During his contemplation, he realized that in the past few months their weekly movie night had fallen by the wayside. Discarded under the duress of the chaos that had descended over the mansion after Rogue's accident. And they had yet to resume it once things had finally begun settling down to something approaching normal.

But Logan knew that trying to find a quiet place in the mansion on Valentine's Day to watch a bunch of Ororo's favorite movies would likely be near impossible. And so, he continued to wait, hoping to come up with a way around that dilemma or a better idea.

Unbeknownst to Logan, the wait must have been driving Jean slightly crazy because she confronted him just a couple of days before the big day. "Logan, do you have a minute?"

He stopped, his unlit cigar clamped between his teeth as he turned to face her. "Sure Red, what's up?"

She strode up to him almost as if she planned on forcefully brushing right past him. But, stopped at the last second and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sure you know what's coming up this weekend." She looked as if she were prepared for battle.

Logan studied her for a moment feeling a touch of amusement at her posture and attitude. He decided to yank her chain just a bit. "Sure, Saturday, followed by Sunday. Both days givin' us a delightfully short break from this circus masqueradin' as a school."

If possible, her stance stiffened. "That's not quite what I meant Logan."

"Then just what did ya mean?"

She cursed softly. "Valentine's Day. You know, cupid's arrows, dinner, dancing, romance in the air, maybe a dozen roses." She reached up and tapped her fist against his forehead. "Any of this ringing a bell in that metal-laced skull of yours?"

He ignored the tapping even as he nodded. "Well yeah Red, but what's any of this got ta do with me?"

There was a moment of stunned silence as Jean reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Please tell me that you're not really being that dense." She muttered quietly, more to herself than to him.

He laughed at her exasperated tone and reached out to pull a lock of her brilliant red hair. "Hell Red, just pullin' yer chain. Damn, didn't know it was going to be that easy. What's a matter, ole One Eye giving ya fits or something?"

Again, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Ha ha, very funny. And to answer your question, no he isn't."

He stepped closer, letting his voice drop to a conspiring whisper as he continued harassing her. "So what're ya here for, really? Tryin' ta con the details outta me? Maybe get me ta spill so ya can pass it on ta 'Ro?"

"No, I was just making sure that you had something planned for her."

He chewed on the end of his cigar thoughtfully as he shrugged. "Not sure exactly what, but yeah, I wanted to do somethin' for her."

Jean nodded, clapping her hands lightly. "Good. She needs a night of romance and carnal pleasure. She hasn't gotten a lot of that before."

This time Logan smirked openly and shot her a leer. "Darlin', I think that girl's gettin' 'bout all the carnal pleasure she can handle. Or ain't she talked ta ya in a while?"

She held up her hands and stepped back from him, her annoyance clear. "There is such a thing as too much information Logan."

He shrugged slightly. "Huh, never thought to hear ya say that. You sure Scooter ain't got yer panties twisted over somethin'?"

She sighed, the noise audible to even a deaf man. "Yes, I am. Look, all I wanted to know was whether or not you planned on doing something for Ororo on Valentine's Day. Now I know so if you don't mind, I'll be leaving."

He watched her turn and decided to throw out one last parting shot. "Come on Red, don't be shy, we can trade some stories." He chuckled slightly as he watched her hurry off, his hyper-sensitive ears catching her mutters of annoyance as she stalked off.

* * *

Logan had been racking his brains for days, wondering just how in the world he could turn such a simple thing as a movie marathon into a night of romance. And for all that time, he'd come up empty handed. But later the same day of his poking fun at Jean, he caught a break. And one of the students managed to give him a rather novel but romantic idea. 

He was wandering down the hall listening to the kids talking and gossiping pretending not to notice anything they said or did. His presence in the halls had become such a common place thing that many of the students weren't even consciously aware that he was there.

Because of this he was often able to not only gauge the mood of the students on a day to day basis but also stop any pranksters or rebellious antics before they ever really got started. Jean, Scott and the Professor had told him that he often saved them from a lot of headaches that way.

Often what was said was harmless, frivolous words and conversations of teenagers growing up as normal as their world would allow. Gossip concerning other students or speculations about an upcoming test, even hushed words about what it might be like to join the team sometime in the future were the most common things he heard. But every once in awhile, a gem would fall in his lap and that day was no exception.

Two young girls were in front of him, talking excitedly about some TV show he'd never heard of. He was really only half listening in an event. His mind was far to preoccupied with Ororo and his still as of yet unconfirmed plans for Valentine's Day. When something one of them said drew him back to their conversation.

He caught the words "terribly romantic" and "personal drive-in" and it perked his interest. He listened intently for several minutes, a slow smile growing on his face as his mind suddenly began whirling with possibilities. After another moment of eavesdropping, he nodded even as he began to slightly modify the idea to better suite his idea of the night. He left the girls, oblivious to the fact that they had inspired him and hurried off to begin setting his plans in motion. This was really going to knock her socks off. And if he were lucky, maybe a whole lot more too.

* * *

The days until Valentine's Day disappeared rapidly. Logan disappeared earlier in the day, claiming that Charles needed an urgent favor done before night fall. Ororo kissed him goodbye trying to hide her disappointment over the request and went on with her day. That evening found her still alone, walking up to her room. 

She paused outside the door when she noticed a note pinned to it. She scanned it quickly, easily recognizing Logan's surprisingly flowing scrawl.

_ Darlin',_

_There's an abandoned farmstead about an hour northwest of the mansion as the crow flies. Meet me there at dark. And wear somethin' warm._

_Logan _

Ororo stared at the note for several moments pleasantly surprised, his strange disappearance that day suddenly explained. She found herself wondering just what he was up to. She was used to surprises from him but those were often small things. Like walking out to the green house to find that he'd already been out and left her gloves and tools piled neatly by the door for her. Or that he'd gone and found a book she'd been looking for in the library and brought it to her because she had mentioned an interest in it. Or bringing her a cup of fresh coffee right before her first class began.

Those were little things, small things, things of very little importance but such depth of meaning behind them. Because they showed that he cared. And, more importantly that he knew her and was paying attention to her wants and needs.

So, as she stood there staring at his familiar handwriting pondering his words, she wondered just what he'd planned for them. She was no fool, she was more than well aware of the approaching holiday. And while she had adjusted to American life in a great many ways, a few of the more commercialized holidays still escaped her. Valentine 's Day being a prime example.

Not that she really minded a day that celebrated love; in fact she thought it was a damned good idea. Too many people in the world forgot about the importance of love in their lives and she liked to think that the holiday might remind them of it. But she thought that perhaps they had gone about it the wrong way.

Celebrating love and spending time with those you loved should be a means and end unto itself. But apparently no one had ever thought to ask her. Because someone had thought it a good idea to give Valentine's Day a mascot; a cherubic angel that was supposed to represent Cupid, the god of love. So many people never realized or simply were unaware that Cupid of ancient myth was thought of as a powerfully masculine man, not some child in a diaper with wings.

And all the candy and the pressure to buy the right gift and make the right dinner or pick the right place to eat. There was far too much emphasis on the expected perfection and the gesture of love behind the gifts and meals was lost. It was a holiday that she had much rather enjoyed from the sidelines, most especially with Forge.

She sighed loudly as she put the note down and began to dress for the evening out with Logan. She stood in front of her closet, pondering both her clothes and her thoughts. She wondered where that errant thought had come from and just why it had chosen to surface at that moment in time. She reached for a heavy sweatshirt and pondered it as she let her mind wander over it.

She had loved Forge but the man had never ever been even remotely romantic. In fact if she gave the matter some thought, he had never really ever done anything to make her feel cherished or loved beyond the words he used to woo her. Truth be told, she felt more loved and cherished by Logan. Someone who was gruff and somewhat abrasive who would more than likely gut a man for calling him a romantic than anything else.

She smiled slightly at the thought as she pulled on the sweatshirt and reached for a favorite pair of faded jeans to go with it.

And yet, he did do the little things, the things that, until that moment she had never realized she would enjoy having someone do for her. The kinds of things that only someone who truly knew her, knew her likes and dislikes, would know to do for her. The kinds of things that showed someone you loved them far better than words ever could.

And that, she realized was the true sticking point with Forge. He had never taken the time to ever truly know her. Oh he had known her well enough to fool her into thinking that she was important to him. But the affection she needed, the subtle attention that anyone craved from the person they loved had never been there.

With Logan she had no such qualms. If she ever had doubt in her heart about what he felt for her, the look in his eyes whenever she looked up to find him there was more then enough to dispel them. The fire in his eyes, a fire that she knew raged for her and only her, burned away any and all doubts she might have.

And she knew in her heart that this was not the simple love affair she had once shared with Forge. This was something more primal, more passionate than anything she had ever known. And it filled a void inside of her that she had before known existed. For the first time in her life, she felt complete.

As she sat on her bed pulling on her wool socks and hiking boots, the sudden epiphany hit hard enough to nearly knock her from the bed. And as she reached down to tie her last boot lace, she felt the final vestiges of pain caused by Forge's rejection simply fade away. Only to be replaced by the warm glow of her love for Logan.

Feeling suddenly giddy she laughed aloud, touching her face in startled amazement when she felt the warm splash of tears upon her cheeks. She smiled again and raced to the window, throwing it open to gaze at the brilliant night sky overhead.

The moon was full and its pale light streamed downward to the counterpoint of twinkling starlight in the inky night sky. She leaned her elbows on the window sill simply gazing at the moon in utter rapture for several moments, her heart lighter than it had been in a very long time.

She closed her eyes, feeling the soft beat of the pale moonlight against her eyelids as she took in a deep breath and sent out a silent prayer of thanks to the Goddess for bringing Logan into her life. Opening her eyes, she stepped into the open window and launched herself from the sill, tumbling through the air, her joy spilling out and into the night. She flew up, got her bearings and headed in the direction Logan had indicated, part of her wondering what he was up to and the other part of her not really caring so long as he had undertaken to do it himself, for her.

About an hour later, just as he promised, she landed at the abandoned barn near the small blazing fire he'd obviously built for her. She walked towards it reveling in its radiant warmth. As she approached it, she noticed a sleeping bag folded up near it, a note resting on it. She picked them both up.

_Bring the blanket towards the barn. I brought the convertible with me. _

She did as instructed somewhat surprised by both gestures. She easily spotted the car and walked towards it, wondering where Logan was. She reached the car and found another note on the door. She pulled that one free and read it.

_ Get in the back and bundle up. I'll be right there with the snacks and yer surprise. _

She smiled slightly even as she opened the door, wondering just what in the world they would need snacks for but she did as instructed in the note. He must have been watching for her because the moment she was settled, there was a flicker of light from behind her and the side of the barn was filled with the opening credits of a movie.

She gasped slightly as the title came up: _Ten Thousand Bedrooms_. One of her all time favorites. She heard the soft crunch of snow next to her and she turned to see Logan standing next to the car, holding a large tub of popcorn in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.

"Happy Valentine's Day darlin'." He opened the door and slid into the backseat with her, handing over the popcorn as she opened up the sleeping bag to let him in. He snuggled close to her, wrapping an arm around her as the movie continued to play on the broad side of the barn.

"Logan, this is wonderful." She kissed him lightly, gently, her touch full of love.

"I thought ya might like it." He reached out and opened the champagne, handing the bottle over to her as she began munching on the popcorn. "Hope ya don't mind, but we've got the holoprojector all night. And Hank spent the last couple of days putting together vids of yer favorites. Even better, it's Friday night and we've got no where ta go tomorrow."

Ororo smiled, snuggling into Logan's arms and settling down to watch the movie. "What else is on the marquee tonight?"

"_Some Like It Hot, Casablanca _and _It Happened One Night_."

"Logan, we'll be here nearly all night."

Logan smirked slightly at her as he raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry Darlin', I'll keep ya warm. Besides, no one said we had ta watch all of 'em."

She laughed, loudly, openly and kissed him again. This time he reveled in the taste of the popcorn and champagne she'd just imbibed, underscored by the fresh taste that was pure Ororo and all of it was flavored with love.


	27. Down In The Bayou

Summary: Graduation, a wedding and a siting of high-ranking members of The Brotherhood all lend a great deal of stress to our favorite couple. But that's only the beginning because Ororo is about to introduce Logan to her adoptive father.

Author's Note: At first, I never intended to write this chapter. And then something popped out of Ororo's mouth during her argument with Remy that made me wonder just what their father would think of Logan and Remy's reaction to him. So here we are. I can promise you that there is end at the tunnel and the final few chapters are coming.

* * *

With Valentine's Day firmly behind them, and the end of the school year fast approaching, residents of Xavier's School for the Gifted turned their attention towards graduation and the beginning of summer. The senior class this year was the largest the school had ever seen and most of the faculty was privately pleased by this. 

There were discussions among the faculty over who would choose to stay and who would leave. Most of the seniors had yet to really decide what they wanted to do thinking they had all the time in the world to make that decision. Some would stay on and become a part of the team or the school, training the next generation of mutants in the use of their powers. Others would decide that they'd learned enough and leave to go on and build as normal lives as the world would allow. But whatever they decided, they knew that they would always have a home and a family at the mansion.

As summer approached and graduation loomed over the school, Logan and Ororo found themselves with even less time to spend together then before. Logan had stepped up the training for the students in his class, trying to cram in as much as possible for those that were leaving. Hoping beyond anything that they would never be called upon to use the knowledge he was giving them but still desperate to impart anything and everything he could before they left.

As for Ororo, her time was taken up with her students and the final hectic days of exams and papers, added to that the responsibility of planning the graduation ceremony, having diplomas printed, hiring caterers for the feast they'd promised the graduates and trying desperately to get it all together in time for the big day. Not to mention, her roll in Jean's wedding as the maid of honor.

Given their suddenly hectic schedules, it was no wonder that often, they simply fell asleep the moment they entered the loft room they now shared. What little time they did manage to spend together was mostly scattered moments throughout the day or week. Short, late night strolls quickly became the norm or short, quiet dinners for two often taken in Ororo's loft room, away from the prying eyes and demands of the mansion and the school

The chaos only escalated once Jean and Scott picked a wedding date. They had finally decided on sometime before the beginning of the next school year, late August. It was just before the beginning of a new school year, but there would be enough time for them to have a small honeymoon before being called back to their responsibilities at the mansion.

This of course put a great deal of stress on everyone involved; there was after all, very little time in which to plan the whole affair. But once the new school year started, they would be far too busy for either a wedding or honeymoon. And it while things had been quiet on the human/mutant front for months, it was anyone's guess on just how long that tenuous peace would last.

So they had decided that the sooner, the better. Tragic events of the last year had struck home the fact that sometimes it was best just to close your eyes and take a chance. Better that then spend the rest of your life wondering and regretting. In their minds, they'd waited long enough to take the final step towards marriage. And waiting any longer to have the wedding was not only completely insane but totally unrealistic as well.

So Jean and the other female residents frantically continued planning the wedding while the male half of the mansion simply sat back and watched the escalating chaos with confused and indulgent expressions on their faces. When asked, they merely nodded and agreed with whatever the consensus was and somehow escaped further scrutiny. But they were all in agreement that they would most likely lose their minds before the process had ended.

Things also seemed quiet on the mutant/human debate and warfront. Magneto hadn't raised his head in quite awhile and no one had much of an idea of what he was up to. The brotherhood that he'd founded created minor trouble every once in awhile but the chaos they caused was short-lived. And more often then not, they managed to fade into the shadows before the trouble escalated out of the capabilities of any of the world government sanctioned teams. But the professor did not trust the peace or his old friend's suddenly passive turn. He kept his eyes and ears, mental and physical, wide open. A few weeks before graduation something caught his attention. He called Scott, Logan and Ororo to his office.

"You wanted to see us professor?" Scott sat across from the professor while Logan and Ororo simply stood, waiting.

Xavier nodded and held up a manila envelope, handing it to Logan. "Yes. I have just received a disturbing report from one of my government contacts in New Orleans. It seems that several high ranking members of Magneto's brotherhood were recently spotted there. They are believed to be simply recruiting new members, but I would very much like to be sure."

Logan leafed through the envelope, scanning each photograph quickly. Mystique, Pyro, Quicksilver and Toad had all been photographed in various parts of the city. So far none of them had been observed doing anything other then meeting with people and talking. Logan snorted as he handed the file over to Ororo. He had a feeling that wouldn't last long.

"What do ya need us to do?" He clenched his knuckles a couple of times, the thought of the brotherhood setting his claws itching to be free from inside his forearms.

"I want the three of you to go down to New Orleans and investigate the brotherhood's activities. This could be simply what it looks like, but I do not believe in taking chances. I want to be absolutely certain that this is nothing more than a recruiting mission for them. Magneto has been quiet for several months now but I do not expect that to stay that way forever."

Scott nodded, taking the file from Ororo as he stood. "All right, we'll head down there, take a look."

Xavier gave them all one last bit of caution before they left. "Keep a low profile if you can. Avoid being seen by any of them and report immediately back to me. I've no wish to tip our hand just yet or let them know just how closely they're being watched."

"Yes sir."

* * *

They did as Xavier asked, flying down to New Orleans in the blackbird in civilian clothes. They landed just outside of the city where they decided that Ororo and Logan would go into town, disguised while Scott would stay behind and guard the plane. His eyes made him far too conspicuous. Ororo and Logan in the meantime wandered around the city either together or apart searching for clues as to just what The Brotherhood was up to. For nearly a week, the trio traipsed around the city, looking for clues as to the brotherhood's whereabouts and activities. But everything they heard was at least nearly a week old according to Xavier's sources. Searches for the members spotted by government agencies turned up empty as well. They seemed to have simply vanished into thin air.

A touch frustrated but relieved at finding nothing to cause any grave concern, Xavier gave them the okay to pack up and return home. But Ororo, being so close to her family decided to visit them before leaving The Big Easy. Scott, who had been to the Lebeau home several times agreed wholeheartedly. And Logan, well Logan knew when to bow to the majority and simply shook his head when Ororo asked him if he minded the detour.

Ororo opted not to call them before hand. Saying that they would like the surprise and it would give her father very little time to gather in the rest of the scattered family. Making the reunion small and personal rather then the large, noisy and chaotic gathering it would be if her father had his way.

* * *

Rogue was the first to spot them as they approached the house and she let out a glad cry as she leaped from the porch and raced to them. "Logan!" She threw herself at the stocky man, her smile wide and beaming. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly but still mindful of her strength.

He did the same, squeezing her tightly feeling a twinge of relief at the solid feel of her. He smiled as she laughed in his ear. "Hey kid, how ya doin'?"

She pulled back, sniffling slightly as she nodded at him. "Better, a lot better."

He appraised her and noticed the changes in her. The shadow of grief that had been in her eyes since the day she'd woken crying in the hospital was gone. Only to be replaced with a light and joy that he hadn't seen in a long while. "Ya look it. That Cajun treatin' ya good?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he is." Her face grew serious as she looked him the eye, searching. "Yer not mad, are ya? About me leaving Ah mean."

He sighed and shook his head. He knew that this would come up. He had spent a great deal thinking on just how he would address it. But the truth had always worked between them; even when that truth had been less than kind. So he stuck to it. "I was. At least until I talked ta Jimmy. I wanted to stay mad but I understand why ya had to leave."

She stepped back and crossed her arms across her chest, her posture slightly defensive. "It was good thing Logan. And Ah'm sorry Ah didn't tell ya'll."

Logan reached out and gripped her shoulder in his strong, solid hand and gave it a slight squeeze. "Ya knew I'd stop ya."

She nodded. "Ah figured that, yeah."

He nodded as well and let his hand drop. "Well, I knew where ya was and I left ya be. So maybe we both did the right thing."

She smiled again and hugged him again. "Yeah, Ah think we did."

This time, when he pulled back, he studied her closely and he made no bones about it. "Anymore voices, blackouts, anything like that?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "No. And you can tell the professor and the others that she's gone. She's been gone for quite a while now."

"Glad to hear it. I'll let Jimmy know too; he was real worried 'bout ya." Logan nodded and stepped back as Ororo and Scott finally approached them and each one hugged the young woman. He stood back and watched as the woman he loved embraced the young woman and exclaimed over how good she looked. They talked for a couple of moments and then Scott stepped forward and hugged the wayward student fiercely.

Logan heard Scott murmur that the hug was also from Jean and to hurry home. He smiled slightly at the smile it brought to Rogue's face and he reached out to take Ororo's hand in his own. He smelled and heard the new comer seconds before he saw him but resisted the urge to react as the man's forceful voice rang out from the porch. "What in da name of 'ell is all da noise out 'ere? You girls be squealin' ta wake da dead!"

Ororo's face split in a wide grin as she let go of Logan's hand and fairly leaped onto the porch and engulfed the older man in a tight hug. "Papa Jean!"

The older man's smile was just as wide and free as he clasped his daughter to him, his voice tender and teasing all at the same time. "_Mon espiegle!_ "

Logan watched the exchange even as the two fell into conversing in rapid Creole French.

Jean-Luc held Ororo away from her, appraising her. "You look good Ororo. Real good. We 'ave missed you."

Ororo laughed and hugged him once more. "You look good too papa. And I have missed you, so very much."

"And who are dese men wit you Ororo." Jean-Luc indicated the trio now standing silently behind them waiting patiently.

Ororo blushed slightly and stammered. "Papa, please, I forget my manners." She began talking in English once more as she waved Logan and Scott forward. "You remember Scott, Jean's fiancé."

Jean-Luc looked at Ororo in surprise. "Fiancé? When did dis change?"

She gave him a look of chagrin as she answered. "New Year's Eve. I meant to send word but we have been very busy at the mansion."

He nodded and clapped his hands together. "We must celebrate dis in true Cajun fashion."

She gave him a stern look even as she admonished him with her tone. "Papa."

He patted her arm gently, chuckling. "I promise _mon espiegle ,_it will be a small party." His face grew serious as he once again looked at the men approaching them. "Now who is da man standing next to Scott. I 'ave never met 'im."

Ororo let out a deep breath. "Papa that is Logan."

He looked at her in surprise, changing back to French as he questioned her. "Logan? Da same Logan, Remy spoke of?"

She nodded. "Yes Papa."

Jean-Luc appeared thoughtful for a moment as he looked at the man his son had spoken of. "Mmmmm. 'e does not look like da devil incarnate." A devilish twinkle appeared in his eyes as he continued. "'e seems a bit short for it non?"

Ororo chuckled even as she slapped him lightly. "Papa, be nice."

"I am always nice." His tone was serious but the twinkle in his eyes ruined it and he chuckled as well.

Ororo turned and indicated Scott as she spoke. "Scott, you remember Papa Jean."

Scott stepped forward and shook the older man's hand warmly. "Of course I do. How are you doing sir?"

Jean-Luc shrugged slightly as he released Scott's hand. "Not as good as you I wager. I 'ear dat you and dat red 'ead of yours are finally fixin' ta tie da knot."

Scott smiled and nodded. "Yes sir we are, before the end of the summer actually. Jean would love it if you came."

Jean-Luc bowed his head slightly in acceptance. "Den I will be dere."

Ororo then reached out for Logan, who mounted the stairs and stood at her side, facing her father. She was nervous and excited but held it in check as she introduced the two of them. "Papa, this is my _amant_, Logan. Logan, this is Jean-Luc Lebeau, my father."

Jean-Luc took Logan's hand firmly in his own and met his gaze without wavering. "Pleasure to finally meet you Logan. Remy and Ororo both 'ave told me so much about you."

Logan nodded, dropping his hand and placing one around Ororo his meaning clear. Inside, he felt the beast move rouse slightly at the tension of the encounter but it subsided quickly. "Same here. Nice to see just where Ororo came by her devilish streak." The words had the desired effect and everyone around them chuckled.

Jean-Luc shook his head, his expression rueful as he looked adoringly at his adopted daughter. "She did not get dat from dis family. She 'ad dat in spades long before she ever come 'ere." There was another round of laughter at that and Jean-Luc waved them inside. "Come inside, all of ya. Dere be ice tea somewhere in dis 'ouse. Only ting to cool off a body on such a 'ot day."

* * *

They were quickly and warmly welcomed by the entire Lebeau clan and any expected awkwardness quickly faded in the face of such open hospitality. At the moment, Scott and Logan were helping the other male members of the family prepare for the coming feast that evening. While the children and some of the younger members of the large family played in the nearby pond.

Ororo stood at the kitchen window sipping her sweet tea, smiling at the antics of some of her younger cousins, a wistful expression on her face. She realized that she had missed this; a great deal more than she ever realized.

Life at the mansion was not something she could or would ever give up. But she realized that being here, with her family with the sights and sounds of children playing intermingled with the smells of the bayou were just as important to her as the life she led in New York. Just being there revitalized her in a way she had not realized she was lacking. And she made a promise to herself to return for an extended visit at the first opportunity.

She heard Jean-Luc come up from behind her and gave him a slight smile as he stepped up to share the window. They stood that way for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts as they sipped their tea and watched the family play.

After a moment, Ororo decided to break the silence. "So you have not told me what you think of Logan, Papa."

Jean-Luc snorted softly gazing at the man in question. "I tink dat man is 'alf gone for you Ororo."

She chuckled. "I certainly hope so. Considering I love him very much." She felt the weight of her father's gaze upon her and turned to face him.

His face was thoughtful as he looked at her. "You seem very 'appy."

She smiled. "I am."

"And dis man 'as made you so?"

This time her eyes softened slightly. "Yes, he has."

"Den why you care what I tink?"

"Because you are my father. And what you think about the choices I make in my life matters a great deal to me."

He set his glass down and turned to face her. "Ororo, I raised all of my children to tink for demselves. Dat my opinion should not be dat important if your choice made you 'appy."

"Then you approve."

He shrugged slightly. "I must admit, when Remy first told me of Logan, I wondered if per'aps I was not wrong in dat way of t'inkin'. I t'ought per'aps I may 'ave missed passing along somt'ing important to you."

"And now?"

This time he reached out touch her face softly, his face and eyes telling her just what his opinion was. "Now, I tink dat you are 'appier den I 'ave ever seen you. And I 'ave always prayed for da day to see you so 'appy. I love your broder, but da man is a dolt. If'n dis man Logan makes you 'appy, dere is nothing more I can say against 'im."

Ororo sighed slightly thinking on just what Remy might have told their father. Despite her impassioned words to her brother, there was still a part of her that was a little girl, seeking his approval. And she was a bit unsure on what her father might think of the man she loved if he knew the truth about his past. "Papa, there are things you should know about him before you say that. Things I am quite sure Remy has told you but I wish for you to understand."

Jean-Luc nodded in understanding. "Ah, you mean da stuff 'e did in 'is past, for da government."

Her voice was hesitant. "Yes."

For several long moments, Lean-Luc was silent, looking out the window. When he turned again to face her, his face was unreadable. "Ororo, I will tell you what I told Remy when 'e came to me. I 'ave been to war. I 'ave seen the evil it can make men do. The t'ings dat your Logan did, da t'ings dat 'e did with da government's blessing? Dose were t'ings dat needed doing for one reason or another to preserve da greater good.

"Sometimes you must delve into da dark to protect da light. And as for dose t'ings where dere might be question, I say dis: I do not judge a man by 'is deeds but by 'is character. If'n you t'ink highly of dis man, den dat is 'nough for me. I 'ave always trusted yer judgement. You 'ave my blessin'."

Ororo felt the air leave her in a rush, unaware that she had even been holding her breath. She hugged him, a slight sting of tears touching her eyes as outside, the sky began clouding over. "Thank you Papa." She whispered to him pleased that he had understood her fears so well.

He chuckled warmly. "You are welcome _mon espiegle. _" He pulled back and wiped the tears from her face even as he nodded to the sky outside. "Now go outside and calm da man down will ya. I tink yer waterworks are makin' 'im a bit nervous."

She laughed slightly and did as he asked.

* * *

The party was well under way and the house was near to bursting with the "small" gathering that Jean-Luc had promised. But Ororo could not be happier about it. It was like a reunion and she relished each and every family member that had decided to come to it. They had been invited to celebrate Jean and Scott's upcoming wedding, but everyone knew that they also came to see Ororo. 

She was standing on the back porch watching Logan playing a game of horseshoes. Logan had proved to be quite adept at the game and the others, in order to give them a chance at winning had declared that Logan had to throw with his left hand. So far as she had witnessed it was making little or no difference and Scott was getting frustrated.

"I say we blindfold him."

She laughed at that, as did the others and she turned to leave the men to their game. She nearly turned right into Remy who so far had been strangely absent. She stopped and for several moments, they stood there in silence, their previous argument hanging heavy between them.

Remy spoke up first. "It is good to see you Stormy."

Ororo crossed her arms over her chest and let the anger and hurt simply flow out of her as she looked at him. "I have missed you Remy."

He nodded. "You be looking good."

"Yes, I am. No thanks to you." Despite her best efforts, she could not keep all of the anger out of her tone.

"Ororo…" he began softly but she held up her hands.

"No, do not apologize now. You are not ready to say it and I sure as hell am not ready to hear it."

Remy shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants his posture turning petulant. "Den why are you here?"

She shrugged not even really sure why she felt the need to explain anything to him. "Because I wanted to see Papa and the twins and home. I figured you would be here so I decided that seeing them was worth putting up with your asinine attitude."

"Dat be da only reason?"

"No, Jean insists that you and Rogue come home for the wedding. She wants you both to be part of it; you are family, after all." She stressed the word family daring him to dispute it as he had before.

"She asked you dis?" His voice was soft, uncertain.

For a moment, looking at him she could not see the angered young man who had made her choose all those months before. Instead, all she could see was a young man unsure of himself and his decisions. Someone who looked ready to extend his hand. "Yes, she did. Will you come?" Her voice was hopeful and she waited tensely to hear his next words. All the while praying that he would not do anything foolish.

After several moments, he nodded. "Yes, Remy be dere."

"Good, I'll let her know." Silence fell between them again but this time it was a great deal less strained. Ororo regarded him as he watched the horseshoe game. She could clearly see the angry, tense set to his jaw as he watched Logan throw another ringer and one of the twins clapped him on the back warmly. It was obvious that the time away from the mansion had done little to change Remy's feelings towards the shorter mutant. She pondered her options. If Remy came back, there remained a very real possibility of violence between the two of them. And while Ororo knew that it was only a matter of time, she would never forgive Remy if he did something stupid to upset Jean on her big day.

"Remy, I must ask a promise of you before you come."

Remy turned his attention back to her. "Remy would do anyt'ing for you. You need only ask."

She stepped closer, dropping her voice as she made her request. "I want you to make peace with Logan."

He went still next to her, his eyes searching her face intently. There was no mistaking the surprise and anger in his eyes. "Ororo, you ask too much." He turned to leave but she reached out to stop him.

She pressed on trying to get him to listen to reason. "Listen to me. I do not ask for my sake but for his as well as yours. If you keep acting the fool with him, he will hurt you. Not because he wants to but because you give him no other choice."

Remy angrily shook her off. "Remy can take of himself."

"Maybe, but I would rather not find out the hard way. I know better than you what he is capable of if he thinks I am in danger." She paused, looking at Logan as he stood to one side of the horseshoe pit waiting for the shoes to be tossed their way.

He must have felt her eyes upon him, because he looked up, meeting her eyes across the lawn and the breadth of the porch. The heat she saw there was enough to bring a flush of heat to her face. She smiled as she turned back to her brother.

"I never told you this, but the night he told me he loved me, he nearly gutted a complete stranger for touching me. A stranger Remy and for nothing more than being too drunk to take no for an answer. And you, well let us just say you are very lucky that he has kept a tight lid on his temper."

Remy snorted, seemingly unconvinced. "Remy is not afraid of him."

"No? Maybe you should be. You are my brother, someone I love very much and you hurt me deeply when you forced me to choose. If Logan was willing to harm a complete stranger for nothing more than being stupid, what do you think he would be willing to do to you for really hurting me? Or do you really think that your connection to me is enough to stop him if you really seek to do him or me harm?"

"Remy cannot help da way he feels."

"And neither can I." She ran her hands through her hair trying to calm down, feeling the pressure drop as her control began slipping. The conversation was making her angry and she did not want Logan knowing that her brother was upsetting her again. She had no wish to explain to father if Logan decided to attack him.

"I am not asking you to be his friend; I am simply asking you to trust me enough to know what I want and what is best for me. I am simply asking for you to be a part of my life without expecting these ridiculous concessions. For better or worse, he is a part of my life. If you ever wish to be a part of that life, you will have to find a way to accept that. Because I am not about to change everything to suite you."

Remy sighed loudly thinking for several moments as he again watched his family interacting with the man his sister had chosen. He turned his gaze back to Ororo and gave her a nod. "Remy will try. For you he will try and dat is all he can promise."

Pleased beyond thought at his words, she reached out and embraced him warmly, kissing his cheek. "Then that is all I can ask for."

* * *

A great deal of time later, long after the sun had set and many of the guests had gone home, Remy, Rogue, Scott, the twins and Ororo sat around the a cheery bonfire talking and laughing. Logan stood back a ways, in the shadows of the porch simply watching Ororo interact with people she cared about. 

It had been a good day and he'd enjoyed himself a great deal. Despite Remy's example, he found himself not only accepted by Ororo's family but he liked them as well. The horseshoe game had started a friendly competition between him and the twins which had nearly escalated out of control. Until they'd been discovered by Ororo, barefoot and knee deep in the pond, daring each other to some monstrously stupid, not to mention dangerous stunt.

He'd looked at her angry face after her long and fierce tirade and done the only thing he could think of. He'd simply scooped her up before she could escape and dumped her into the pond. She'd come up sputtering laughing despite herself, her eyes blazing white and the war was on. He found himself chuckling quietly at the memory of it.

He heard a set of bare feet tread onto the porch and sniffed lightly, recognizing both smell and stride as belonging to Ororo's father. He turned to the man and nodded before he turned his attention back to the bonfire and the white-haired siren that even then pulled at him.

"Remy tells me dat you are sweet on our girl."

Logan snorted at the softly spoken words. It would be just like the swamp rat to simplify just what he felt for her. "I guess ya could call it that. I tend ta think I love her."

He felt Jean-Luc's eyes on him and resisted the urge to look at the man.

"From da look of it, I'd say da feelings are mutual."

Logan reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a couple of cigars. He handed Jean-Luc one even as he pulled out a book of matches. "So I've heard."

They lit their cigars, smoking in silence for several moments before Jean-Luc spoke up again. "I must admit, Logan. I did not know what to tink when Remy told me of you. From 'is description I expected no'ting less den a demon cast straight from 'ell."

Logan laughed slightly taking a deep puff. "Yeah well, the swamp rat tends to be a little over dramatic."

This time Jean-Luc laughed and nodded. "Dat 'e does. Dat 'e does." Jean-Luc sighed loudly, contemplating the end of his cigar. "I am finding myself in a difficult position Logan."

Logan looked at him, his cigar halfway to his lips. "And just what might that be?"

Jean-Luc looked at him, pointing at him with the cigar. "I like you and I approve of Ororo's choice in you. Dat shall put me at odds wit my son."

Logan scoffed slightly, clamping his cigar between his teeth. He resisted the surge of anger that urged him to bite through the damn thing. "Remy made his choice. Don't let him make yours."

Jean-Luc shrugged slightly. "I know. Marie told me what 'appened between dem."

Logan growled slightly at the memory of Ororo crying out her pain in his arms. And the memory of how the sky wept with her. "Damned fool. I nearly kicked his ass for makin' her cry like that." He took a final puff and ground the butt into the ground with the heel of his well worn boots. "I still might."

"I would not advise it _mon ami_. Despite da bad feelings between dem now, I do not t'ink Ororo would look too kindly on you for it. No matter 'ow much 'e might deserve it."

Logan smiled at the mention of her temper, the memory of their earlier wrestling match in the pond coming to mind. "She can get pretty riled up now and then, that's fer sure."

Jean-Luc chuckled ruefully. "Always did 'ave a temper on 'er. It just burns underneath da surface, where you can't see it. By da time she lets loose wit it, it's too late; yer toast." Jean-Luc stared at the bonfire, his eyes resting on the daughter of his heart even as his tone grew serious. "I've been worried 'bout her fer a long time now. Always too quiet, kept ta herself too much. Kept too much locked in here." He reached up and touched his heart. "Never let no one in, 'ceptin' Remy course. But I see change in her. She is relaxed, open. I tink you have been very good fer 'er."

Logan nodded, having seen the same changes in her in the past several months. "No one deserves ta be alone. Most especially not her."

"True 'nough." There was silence between them for several more moments as each of them pondered their own thoughts. Seeming to break out of his revere, Jean-Luc turned to Logan. "I must ask you Logan, what would ya 'ave said if'n I said ta walk away, dat you are not good 'nough for 'er?"

Logan snorted loudly, crossing his arms over his chest, planting his feet firmly on the porch. "I'd told ya to take a flyin' leap off the end of the dock. Most likely with my foot buried up yer ass." He paused. "No offense."

Jean-Luc held up his hands and shook his head. "I asked fer 'onesty. It's my own fault if I get offended. As fer what ya said, I'm glad to 'ear it."

Logan didn't bother to hide his surprise. "Really? Most men I know wouldn't like hearin' me threaten to kick their asses."

"Most men are a little too insecure in demselves."

Logan shrugged. "Maybe. Still don't explain why you wanted to know."

This time Jean-Luc stared at his son for several moments before answering. "Remy told me dat 'e tried to get you out of 'er life. 'e said dat ya told 'im no. I just wanted ta see if'n it would make any difference comin' from me."

Logan relaxed a bit, uncrossing his arms as leaned against the railing of the porch. "It don't make a damned bit of difference. The only person who can ever tell me to walk away and get me to do it, is her. I ain't steppin' out of her life on anyone else's say so." He felt Jean-Luc place his hand on his shoulder and turned to look at the taller man.

"Den I only 'ave one t'ing to say ta ya Logan."

"What's that?"

Jean-Luc squeezed his shoulder firmly and gave him a strange smile. "Welcome ta da family son."


	28. Lull Before the Storm

Ororo and Logan have returned from the bayou to discover that Jean has been keeping a very big secret, one that will change everything for the residents of the mansion. And an unexpected arrival poises ill for everyone.

Author' note: Hey guys, just wanted you to know that things will be getting interesting from here on out, for nearly everyone. But its almost over, I promise.

* * *

Ororo kneeled inside of the greenhouse, her hands buried in the soul as she worked with the seedlings for Jean's wedding. Surrounded by plants, with the smell of wet soil filling her nostrils and the feeling of life all around her, she felt at peace and centered. Something that had escaped her for the past couple of weeks as the chaos around her escalated. And now, stressed out and feeling stretched thin by it all, she had come to the greenhouse with a deep sense of need, desperately trying to pin down exactly when it all seemed to go so wrong; as of yet she had not found the source.

Perhaps it all began with their return from the bayou. After all, her time down there had been peaceful enough. Once the family arrived, and the gathering was large despite Papa Jeans assurances, Ororo had simply given herself over to the madness of it all. Embraced by family member after family member as if she were the long lost daughter, returned home after a very long absence.

It also helped that her family welcomed Logan wholeheartedly into the fold, with Papa Jean's support of course. And it had been so nice to see the twins again. Even Remy's dour face and somewhat sullen attitude had been a balm to her soul.

And the party, it had lasted well into the night, dragging on past midnight to nearly see the dawn. Ororo did not remember much after the bonfire was rekindled for the third time; she nodded off somewhere around 2 a.m. She vaguely remembered Logan lifting her up and carrying her inside to place her in a nice warm bed; the same bed she awoke in the next morning. But beyond that everything else was vague. She just remembered enjoying herself immensely and reconnecting with the family had not seen in far too long.

So perhaps it had all begun to unravel when they returned to the mansion. It was after all, upon their return that Logan and Ororo decided to drop any pretense of Logan still sleeping in his own room and moved his things up to her, quieter, more private attic quarters.

But that did not seem quite the place either. The move was something they both easily agreed upon. Ororo had simply walked into his room and gathered his things and taken them to her room while he looked on with a surprised and pleased look on his grizzled face. And while there really had been no discussion beforehand, so many of his things were already there that it seemed a waste to just keep on pretending that they were not sleeping together. Not even the students were that gullible any longer.

No if the truth be told, Ororo had a pretty good idea of just where it all began to spiral out of control. She just hated admitting it, even to herself. Because once she did, she would have to also admit that the person responsible had broken a promise to her. And that was something that she just could not fathom happening.

Ororo heaved a huge sigh, blowing her hair out of her face as she felt a wave of annoyance and frustration come over her. She resisted the urge to simply chuck aside her gardening tools and tried to calm her breathing and her heart. She was rapidly losing the fight. She knew what had caused the whole mess and she knew what had started it all as well. Her name was Jean, and she was getting married; if one of her bridesmaids did not try to off her first. And it all began with the wedding party.

It had been assumed, being as they were very close friends, that Ororo would be Jean's maid of honor. There really was never any question but Jean was still kind enough to ask. To which Ororo replied with a simple laugh and an expression of "you even need to ask" clearly written on her face. Things seemed to progress well enough from there. Betsy was asked if she wanted to be a bridesmaid and she readily agreed.

Scott of course asked Warren to be his best man. Friends though they might now be, Logan had no illusions of Scott needing him to fill that role. Hank was asked to fill in as a groomsman. Things seemed to begin going bad right at that point.

Up until this point, Jean had wanted to keep things simple. A small wedding party, a private wedding, an intimate reception and a quiet send off to their honeymoon. All things that were quickly and easily planned. But then something changed and suddenly that was not enough for Jean.

In a somewhat turbulent mood, Jean vehemently decided that a wedding party of only six was bad luck. So she insisted on Rogue as her second bridesmaid and Logan found himself asked to be the second groomsman; though he had never expected to play a role in the wedding in the first place.

Then things calmed down again when Scott agreed with Jean that Kurt perform the ceremony and the professor walk her down the aisle. The professor had been very touched by Jean's query and wandered around the mansion with a small smile upon his face for the rest of the morning. With the wedding party formed, the priest and the father roles filled, it seemed that most of the major details were set and the only things left to do were the final refinements of the reception and the guest list.

Something Ororo was privately thankful for that. Despite the fact that she loved Jean dearly, she was nearing the point of doing the woman actual physical harm. For as long as Ororo could recall, when the subject of marriage had come up between them, it had been a given that each woman would stand for the other as their maid of honor. So, with that thought in mind, certain promises had been given by both women with respect to what they would ask of their wedding parties.

First off had been the dresses. After all, they had seen and heard many a horror story of some poor woman being stuck with an orange taffeta or pink chiffon bridesmaid dress that was not only abhorrent, but a veritable crime against nature as well. So they had both promised to be completely honest; and if they truly hated the dresses they were being made to wear, they would say so. The bride might not want to hear it but better she be told up front then find out in ten years when she discovered the dress lining the dog's bed or something similar.

And Jean did keep her promise about the bridesmaid dresses after all. They were beautiful and simple, done in emerald green with gold trim. Definitely something Ororo could wear again or at the very least tolerate wearing once.

The second promise had to do with the behavior of the bride. Having seen women go completely nuts over planning their weddings and driving nearly everyone them insane, they had both been adamant that they would never, never turn into the shrewish indecisive women they would see in television and movies. And for the most part Jean had yet to stoop to that level of behavior; until two weeks ago.

Of course, Ororo expected that some part of those promises might be discarded as the big day loomed closer for whoever married first. It was human nature to become stressed over matters that were very close to one's heart.

But ever since their return from the bayou, she seemed so emotional. At least twice now, Ororo had found Jean sitting in the library quietly crying while opening the RSVPs for the invitations. And it seemed that her emotional state was quickly growing turbulent. Once she wandered into the greenhouse to find Jean there, seemingly livid over the state of the flowers Ororo was growing for the bouquets. Worst of all had been her reaction to the tailor who came to fit her and the wedding party once more.

Ororo did not hear what was said between them, as she was not in the room. But she heard Jean's response loud and clear as the red head began arguing with the man about material and some such. In a pique, she did something quite unlike her; she simply turned her back on him and walked out of the room, leaving the man to sputter angrily behind her as Ororo rushed forward to sooth his frayed nerves.

And that was the reason she had chosen to hide herself away in her greenhouse that very morning. Hoping that Jean would not find her for a while so she could find a way to ease some of the stress she had been feeling.

She looked up as the door opened and Jean's head appeared in the doorway. Ororo sighed as Jean stepped into the greenhouse.

"Ororo, I've been looking for you."

Ororo smiled, continuing to work as Jean approached her. "Really?" She looked up as Jean kneeled down next to her.

"Yes."

Ororo waited, but the silence stretched between them. She began to wonder just why Jean was looking for her and more importantly whether it had anything to do with the wedding. She looked at her friend, raising an eyebrow as she prompted her. "So, was there any reason you were looking for me, or were you just a bit lonely?"

Jean sighed softly, wringing her hands together. "I kind of wanted to talk to you."

Ororo noticed the nervous gesture and felt her stress level rising once more at the mere idea of something making Jean nervous. She gave the woman her full attention, pulling off her gloves as she did so.

"Really, about what?" She saw a strange sparkle in Jean's eye and sighed loudly. "Please tell me you have not changed some minor detail for the hundredth time. I love you Jean, but if you change your mind one more time about this wedding, I will be sorely pressed not to beat you senseless."

Jean looked slightly chagrined at that. "I haven't been that bad, have I?"

Ororo took a deep breath and pondered the question for only a moment before answering. In truth, she really had not been that bad; she had just not been herself. "No more than any other bride I am sure. But as your maid of honor, I must remind you that the sanity of your entire wedding party is at stake. Not to mention everyone else in close proximity to you."

Jean laughed. "You make me sound like some sort of bridezilla."

Ororo chuckled also and decided to be diplomatic rather than enflame Jean's anger. "Hardly but it has been…interesting around here lately."

Jean held up her hands, placating. "Well, to ease your mind, I haven't changed anything minor."

Ororo felt a bit of tension flow out of her at that. "I am wholly glad to hear that."

Then Jean continued on. "Now something major, well that's a different story."

Ororo was unable to grab hold of her frustration. "Jean, I thought we had all of the major details settled. Surely it is a little late to be making drastic changes now."

"Well this one was a bit of a surprise and completely unexpected."

Ororo's own temper rose to the surface. "What, did Kurt back out? Did the dress shop burn to the ground? Did you decide to have the damn thing in a church, what is it?"

Jean took a deep breath before responding. "I'm pregnant."

Ororo was shocked into utter stillness. "What?"

Jean laughed slightly, a wide smile splitting her face. "I'm pregnant!"

Ororo reached out to hug her, her own smile stretching across her face as the news penetrated. "Truly? Oh Goddess this is wonderful news! Does Scott know?"

There was a sheen of unshed tears in her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah, I told him this morning."

"Well, this does change a few things. No wild and crazy bachelorette party for you. How far along are you?"

"Hank thinks about 2 months. He's set me up with an OBGYN friend of his to be sure. But it looks like we should be expecting our addition around February."

"This is just wonderful. I am so happy for you both. Have you told Charles yet?"

Jean nodded. "I think he knew before I did. I swear nothing gets past him."

Ororo laughed. "Not in this house at any rate. To think in a few months time we shall a little one here in the mansion. That will truly make this a home and all of us a family."

"It will won't it? Of course that will also make you an Aunt."

Ororo paused for a moment, letting the word fill her with warmth. "Do you mean that?"

Jean was surprised by the statement. She reached out and grabbed Ororo's hand in her own. "Ororo, you're the closest thing I have to a sister. I want this child to look at you and everyone else here as a member of their family; even Logan."

Ororo laughed at that and hugged Jean once more. "I am sure he cannot wait to hear that one Jean." She stood, helping her friend up as well. "I cannot sit still after such wonderful news. I have an idea, let us go shopping, then maybe a relaxing beauty treatment or two, my treat. What do you say?" She wrapped an arm around Jean's waist and led her out of the greenhouse.

"If you're buying I am so there. Lead on Auntie Ororo."

Again, the word filled her with a warmth she had always hoped for and never expected. "Goddess I love the sound of that. I cannot wait to tell Logan."

* * *

While Ororo dragged Jean from the mansion for a relaxing and much deserved day of beauty and pampering, Logan and Scott sat on the back patio, simply staring out over the English gardens.

"Man, am I glad that Ororo took Jean out for the day."

Logan chuckled as he lit a fresh cigar. "That sweet little red head drivin' ya nuts Scooter?"

Scott shook his head, motioning for Logan to hand him a cigar. After a moment of hesitation, Logan did so.

"No, but her mood swings are."

Logan laughed as he offered the taller man a light. "That's what ya get fer knockin' her up."

Scott took a deep puff, and released it, the stress slowly leaving his body with the smoke. He looked at Logan, a slight frown marring his face. "Thanks for that crude reminder Logan."

"Don't mention it Scooter."

The door behind them and Warren stepped out, taking a seat near Scott. "How's it going out here mates?" He reached out and gave Scott a firm cuff on the shoulder. "Bets told me the good news. I hear congrats are in order."

Logan chuckled again, offering Warren a cigar and a light. "Don't thank him too fast, Jean's turnin' out to be just a little short in the fuse department."

Warren shrugged, as he lit the cigar and then leaned back into his chair. "I hear that's pretty common. Besides, Jean always was a bit of a feisty girl."

Scott groaned slightly. "Don't remind me, I swear she and Ororo could con you into anything."

Warren chuckled. "Sad part of that is, when they were done, you'd think it was your own damned idea in the first place."

Logan snorted loudly. "Yeah, I been on the receivin' end of that a time or two."

The annoyance in his voice caused both Scott and Warren to both laugh. Scott gave him a mock salute with his cigar as he ribbed the other man. "Yeah, we know. She's shown us pictures."

Warren was leaning back, watching the smoke from his cigar float slowly up into the air as he spoke. "I must say Logan, I never figured you for make-up."

Logan snorted again, his expression hardening as he pointed at Warren. "Can it Warren, or I'll sic Betsy on ya."

For a split second, a look of fear flashed across Warren's face before he managed to regain control himself.

Scott laughed aloud. "Got him running scared now."

Warren shot him a disgusted look. "Funny, real funny. I'll have you know, I've got a mind of my own ya know."

Logan took a deep drag on his cigar and snorted as the smoke flowed out of his mouth. "Yeah, when Bets lets ya use it."

Warren leaned forward. "Oh really boyo? And I suppose Ororo doesn't have you whipped?"

"Not damned likely."

Warren gave him a strange smile as he leaned back, the cigar hanging from his lips. "Time will tell, won't it?"

They fell silent after that, each lost in their own thoughts as they simply sat there, enjoying the quiet and the cigar smoke. A vice which, often, the women of the mansion frowned upon. Scott was the first to break the silence.

"I'm going to be a father."

Logan turned to look at him, waiting. Across from him, Warren did the same.

"Ya scared?"

Scott turned to look at him. "Of being a father?" Logan nodded. Scott shrugged. "Not really. Never gave it much thought before."

Warren took up the conversation. "But you're thinking about it now mate."

"Yeah." He paused for a few minutes, taking another pull from his cigar.

"So what brought that on?"

"I'm just wondering if we're doing the right thing? The world is such a damn mess right now. And we're bringing a baby into all that."

This time Warren snorted. "Shit Scott is that all? You'd think you'd worry about something real big, like changing diapers and midnight feedings. Or what the hell you're gonna do when the cravings hit Jean and she sends you out at 3 a.m. for Chinese or something worse." Scott laughed. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. Knowing you two, that kid'll be more than able to take care of themselves."

"Yeah?"

Logan threw in his own two cents as well. "Yeah. And if not, well he'll have plenty of family to go out kick some ass for him."

Warren nodded. "Yeah mate, we take care of our own. Besides, if you start thinking like that, they win."

Scott looked at both of them for several moments in silence. Then he simply nodded at them. "Thanks."

"Anytime Cyke." Logan stood up and walked towards the door of the mansion. "I don't know 'bout you two, but after that kinda soul searchin', I could use a beer. Who's comin' with me?"

The other two stood as well, following Logan into the mansion. "Only if you promise not to make fun of what we're drinking. Some of us don't like to chew our beer."

"Yeah well, the shit you two order ain't beer. It's more like the water they used to rinse out the kegs with. The two of ya ain't got no taste."

"Says the man who likes his steak so rare, it might as well still be mooing."

"Pansy assed, that's all ya are is a bunch of pansy assed pretty boys." Logan mumbled as they walked out the front door, towards the garage. Scott and Warren trailed behind him.

They reached the garage door just as Warren let fly with a loaded question. "Hey Logan, speaking of new arrivals, when are you and Ororo going to grace us with one of your own?"

Logan stopped walking and turned, giving Warren a look that would have withered every plant in Ororo's greenhouse. "That ain't funny Warren."

Scott nodded solemnly. "Yeah Warren, can you imagine, a miniature Logan running around here. Kid'd be hell on wheels."

Warren pondered that for a moment and then he too nodded. "Good point. Listen Logan, in the interest of humanity do you think you could promise to never reproduce."

Logan jerked the door to his jeep open as the others climbed in. He slammed it shut, an angered growl on his lips. "Funny guys, real funny."

* * *

Later that night, long after Ororo and Jean had returned from their day of pampering and self indulgence and soon after the guys had returned from their foray into the realms of hops and barley, the mansion lay quiet and still as the residents settled down to sleep. Save all but two.

Ororo and Logan had climbed out the window of her loft room and scaled to the roof where they lay on a soft blanket, admiring the stars and the moon that shone brightly above them. What had begun as Logan simply pointing out a few constellations had turned into a rampant fascination for Ororo. And she quickly became adept at not only finding each constellation but could also recount for Logan many of the legends behind them.

He lay there on his back, with her head resting on his stomach as they both gazed upward, neither one speaking, just simply enjoying the peace and the contact between them. He fingered her hair absent mindedly as he let his thoughts roam.

Jean and Scott were having a baby and they were getting married. In an instant, the entire dynamic of the mansion and its residents changed. They were and always had been a family. But now, that family was changing, growing and they would have no choice but to change or be left behind. But given the challenges they'd all faced before, Logan had no concerns about their ability to do just that.

She sighed softly against him and he found himself smiling slightly. "Ya know, I've been thinkin'."

She shifted, lifting her head and gazing up at him. "Really, does hearing about the impending arrival inspire you to thought?"

Knowing very well just what she assumed his thoughts might be, he decided to toy with her. He put a smirk on his face and leered at her. "No, but thinkin' about how Jean ended up that way does."

She chuckled as she rested her chin on his stomach. "I can just imagine what those thoughts are."

He smiled at her, running his finger gently across her cheek. "I bet ya can't."

She smiled at him, running her hands up his stomach and across his chest as she slid up his body and held herself still above him, her lips inches from his. "I have quite the vivid imagination."

He waggled his eyebrows at her, feeling her settle against him. "Don't I know it." He let his hands slide up her sides, watching her eyes darken with passion.

She touched her lips softly to his, her heart beginning to pound. "Do not let that stop you from sharing."

He nuzzled her neck, fighting the urge to laugh aloud as he spoke once more. "How do ya feel 'bout campin'?"

She stilled above him, looking down at him in surprise, the shock instantly killing her mood. "Camping?"

He ran his fingers through her hair. "Yeah, ya know, going out inta the wilderness, sleepin' in a tent, hikin', catchin' fish and cookin' what we catch. Any of that sound good to ya?"

She sighed, at both the sensation and the idea. "That sounds lovely. When do we leave?"

He shrugged. "A few days maybe. Soon as I can get the gear together and decide where we're goin'"

"Did you have someplace special in mind?"

"Don't know, is there somewhere ya'd like ta go?"

"You did once promise to take me into the wilds of Canada."

"I did, didn't I? So I guess that means we're goin' ta Canada."

"Can we take someone with us?"

"Who'd ya have in mind darlin'?"

"Jimmy."

"Sounds good ta me. I'll ask him in the mornin'."

* * *

They left the next morning, telling Scott and Jean not only where they were going but how long they expected to be there and when they were going to return. Jimmy of course was thrilled at the idea of leaving the mansion and spending time with the two of them. He was ready in record time and even helped Logan pack the mini jet before they crunched themselves in and took off.

For two weeks, they roamed the Canadian wilderness, hiking, fishing, swimming and simply existing. Ororo and Logan enjoyed the return to nature, using the time to not only rekindle their ties to their baser selves, but also to deepen their relationship and bond.

Jimmy for his part took quickly to the life as a woodsman. The lessons Logan gave him were quickly absorbed and utilized by the young man. And he often disappeared into the woods for long periods of time by himself. But as he always took a locator and a compass with him, Logan and Ororo remained unconcerned; both of them simply glad to see Jimmy so at ease with both them and himself.

The two weeks passed in the blink of an eye for them and they found themselves returning to the mansion before they knew it. As Logan landed the jet in the hangar, he watched Ororo pause in mid motion, as if deep in thought. Recognizing the look, he waited patiently until she had finished communicating with Xavier or Jean.

After a few moments, she appeared to snap out of it and turned to Logan. "Charles has asked to speak with me."

Logan gave her a quick kiss and nodded. "Jimmy and I'll stow our gear. You just head on out ta see Chuck. Come find me when yer done."

She smiled. "Deal tough guy."

* * *

As Ororo walked towards Xavier's study, she came upon Jean walking towards the hangar. She shot her friend a beaming smile and gave her an enthusiastic hug.

Jean smiled, looking closely at Ororo's choice of clothing: jeans, flannel shirt and a pair of worn hiking boots. "Hey, you guys are back. How was the trip?" Jean looped her arm through Ororo's and they continued to walk through the hall.

"Wonderful. I really enjoyed myself. I think we are going to have to do it again really soon."

Jean shuddered next to her. "I don't know how you could stand it. The bugs must have just been awful. And snakes and sleeping on the hard ground. It makes me cringe thinking about it."

Ororo laughed. "You always were a city girl at heart Jean."

Jean did not even deny it, simply nodding. "Don't I know it."

"So how have things been here?"

Jean sighed loudly as she and Ororo stopped walking. "Well, that's why I came to find you. Charles said that he wanted to speak with you."

Ororo nodded. "Yes, I know. It was rather strange but I sensed a great deal of apprehension and anxiety from him. Is everything all right?"

"Yes but we've had an unexpected guest arrive."

There was confusion in her voice. "Unexpected?"

Jean sighed again. "Yes and maybe even a bit unwelcome too."

Feeling a bit of exasperation at her friend, Ororo resisted the urge to shake Jean. "Jean, who is our guest?"

Jean reached out and took Ororo's hands in her own, squeezing them tightly in her own. "Honey, I don't know how to tell you this."

"By the Goddess Jean just spit it out."

"Forge is back."


	29. Blast From the Past

Forge has returned to the mansion. Why is he there? What is he looking for? How will Ororo and Logan react to this new dilemma? And more importantly, will Logan go after Forge?

Author's note: I have enjoyed writing this chapter a great deal. I have had Ororo's reaction to Forge's return written for a very , very long time. It just seemed to take forever to get there. So now, here it is. Hope you enjoy, and as always, please review!!!!

* * *

Jean offered to come with Ororo to the professor's office. But Ororo had declined the offer. She left the other woman standing in the hallway as she continued on alone. And now with each step she took, she felt herself sinking into a state of emotional shock, her mind reeling from the news of Forge's sudden reappearance. For years she had wondered what she might do if he ever returned. But now, suddenly faced with that reality, she had no idea what to feel or think. If truth be told, she was terrified to even allow herself to feel anything at the moment. Afraid that if she allowed herself that luxury, if even for a moment, the pain and vulnerability would surface and she would be overwhelmed by it all.

She sighed loudly as she paused a moment outside the door to the professor's study. She had thought herself well past the emotional drama that Forge had caused; thought herself recovered and healed from the pain his rejection had filled her with. But now faced with his return, she realized that deep inside she was still as angry and as hurt as the day he had left. And she wanted him to pay for what he had done.

She swallowed hard, forcing down the lump of anger in her throat as the rage brought to life thoughts and feelings she had once thought dead and buried. They pressed upon her, like distant shadows in her mind. Dark thoughts full of rage pain, thoughts of what she wanted to do to him the moment she got him alone. They were thoughts so unlike her it made her cringe and nearly cry aloud at the loss of herself.

With the door now open all the emotions and turmoil she felt that night and the weeks that followed roared to life. Again she felt the doubt of her own self worth. Felt her heart pierced by the longing to simply forget and continue on with her life. But somehow the pain was still there and it still hurt. Worst of all was the grief; grief that the one person she had entrusted with her heart had not simply broken it, though that had been horrible enough; no, he had cast it aside as if it meant no more to him than a piece of trash to be discarded.

_That_ she realized was what really bothered her most about the way he had left. There had been no time for her to come to a decision or even attempt to compromise. There had been no mutual discussion of their future spoken between two people as partners, equals. No, there had only been an ultimatum given. And it was one that he should have known she would never even have considered.

So Ororo stood outside the door to Xavier's office, a torrent of emotions and thoughts whirling inside her head fighting to come to her attention. She took a deep breath feeling a sudden wave of annoyance at allowing him to make her feel even another moment of pain. She squared her shoulders, ruthlessly pushed her thoughts and misgivings aside, vowing to not give him the satisfaction of seeing her hurt and opened the door.

Forge stood as she entered and she was surprised that he had changed so little since the night that he had left. He had a bit more gray at the temples than before, but he was still dark, tall and his smile was still filled with a false sense of compassion and sensitivity. His eyes still held a light she had always taken for unique interest but later learned was closer to contempt.

She stepped further into the room and he stepped forward, grasping her hand gently and kissing her cheek; she stiffened at his gesture but he seemed oblivious to her discomfort. She wondered just how often he had been oblivious around her.

"Ororo, it is so good to see you again." He smiled at her once more but there was no warmth in it. Nor did it reach his eyes. It was as if the man had no more feeling to share with those around him than a sheet of paper.

She ignored his fake smile, pulled her hand from his and turned her attention to the professor. "You sent for me?"

Xavier nodded as he moved up next to the two of them. "Yes, I did. Forge will be staying with us for a few days; there are some important matters he has come to discuss with us about some recent mutant activity and possible experimentation. I was hoping that you would be so kind as to show him to his room."

Ororo's eyes narrowed as she sent out a thin, slightly angered vein of thought. _I would not have expected this of you Professor. I will not be manipulated._

Charles response was immediate and filled with remorse and compassion. _I assure you Ororo that I had nothing to do with this. Forge wished to speak with you alone. I had thought that this might be the best way; please do not think I would ever expect you to stop following the dictates of your heart._

For a moment Ororo pondered the older man. _I will play along for the moment. But you had best find someone else to escort him around the mansion. I will not be making myself available. _

Charles nodded slightly before responding. _I understand. Perhaps Scott, Betsy or Warren might be a better choice._

_As much as I love Scott, I do not want it to be him. He still thinks the world of the man and worse he might let something slip about Logan and I. That simply will not do._

_Do you plan to keep it a secret from him?_

_For the moment, yes._

_Ororo, I would not recommend that._

_For the moment only. The man has no right to know a thing about me; he lost that right the night he walked out on me. In any event, I must find Logan before someone tells him about our visitor._

_Yes, I fear that Logan may allow his temper free reign in this matter._

_As do I. Best to head that notion off at the pass as soon as possible. _She thought at him and in the next instant turned to Forge, a strange fire burning in her eyes as she spoke out loud. "If you will follow me."

* * *

Ororo was silent as she led the way to the guest wing. She stayed a couple of steps ahead of Forge refusing to even look at him. Her expression and stance warned of violent retribution if she was bothered and many curious students stepped back as she walked through the halls. No one knew exactly what she was feeling at that moment; she was very adept at hiding what she really felt. But Logan would have recognized that look; after all he'd seen it enough. It was the look Ororo often got before they sparred; it was a look of utter concentration and determination. It was also the same look she got before she knocked him on his ass. If Logan had been in the hall, he would have recognized that Forge was a dead man walking.

When they reached his room, Ororo told him where everything was, the mealtimes and the basic rules of the school in a brisk no nonsense voice. When she turned to leave, he reached out and stopped her. A sharp crack of thunder echoed loudly over the mansion as her eyes frosted white ice and she turned her rage filled stare at him.

"How dare you!"

Forge stepped back a look of disbelief on his face at the slip of her control. "Ororo, please. I only wish to talk."

She stood there, stiffly, her arms crossed across her chest. "Fine, Talk."

He took a deep and held out his hands. "It is very good to see you."

"So you have said." Her voice was still stiff and there was a faint shadow of white across her eyes.

"I've missed you a great deal."

She arched a brow at him wondering how he could return after all the time that he'd been gone and expect that everything would be the same between them.

"Really? You have spent the last seven years missing me? I find that very hard to believe."

His tone became soothing, some of his natural charm coming to the surface in response to the cool ice in her voice. "Believe what you wish but I have missed you."

She felt the anger build as she let her hands fall to her sides, her hands clenching into tight fists as she threw her words at him like stones. "And yet, not once in all that time did I ever receive a phone call, a letter or even a postcard. Did you forget about me so easily? Or were you far too busy finding my replacement to even spare me a thought?"

She saw the beginnings of anger light his eyes as well at her vehement tone. "Dammit Ororo, that isn't fair."

She scoffed at his choice of words. The man had no idea of the concept. "Fair? You did not seem to be concerned about 'fair' the night you walked out on me."

He looked down taking a moment and then looking back up at her. "You never gave me an answer."

This time she threw her hands in the air in a violent gesture. Outside, the wind picked up as dark clouds began to gather over the mansion as her anger slowly grew.

"You never gave me the chance. When I did not answer fast enough for you, you took it back and you left me. You took everything back that night; every word of love that you spoke to me, every thought, every touch, every kiss. They all disappeared that night. And just when I thought that you had hurt me as much as humanly possible, you waltz back into my life as if nothing has happened."

He sighed loudly. "Ororo, I never meant to hurt you."

"It is strange that you should say that; as that is exactly what you did."

"I can explain if you would just give me the chance."

"Explain? What is there to explain? You did not love me; at least not enough to give me a choice I could live with. No, you simply stated your terms and acted as if there was no other solution; no other possible way of living. And worst of all, I spent all these years since thinking that what happened was somehow my fault. But I am not that naïve any longer. I will not be manipulated or made to feel something that I do not or, even worse, made to feel as if there is something wrong with me because I do not feel as you think I should.

"I honestly hope that you have not returned here expecting me to have waited for you. Somehow I think you are bound to be disappointed. I _loved_ you, past tense. If you came here genuinely seeking the Professor's help, I will do whatever he requests of me to help you in a professional capacity. But beyond that you have little hope of anything else from me. If you need anything, you can speak with Jean; I will not be available." With those clipped and angered words, she turned and walked out of his room, the thunderclap over the mansion barely masking the sound of the slamming door.

* * *

Ororo stormed down the hall, muttering angrily to herself and resisting the urge to lash out with her powers. As it was, the air had grown heavy and oppressive around the mansion and periodic peals of thunder told her that she was almost angered beyond control. She rounded a corner deciding that she needed a way to vent some of the rage and frustration she was feeling when she collided with someone. She felt strong arms reach out for her, stopping her from falling and instinctively shoved them off.

"Hey darlin', no need to get physical. I was just tryin' to save that beautiful ass of yers from a bruisin'."

Ororo stilled herself as she realized just who she run into. With a gentle sigh, she threw herself into his arms. "Logan."

Dumbly he wrapped his arms around her, "'Ro, ya okay?"

She pulled back, nodding slightly as she gazed into his beautiful steel gray eyes. She could see the concern for her in them and she smiled slightly as she touched his cheek. "I am now." She rested her forehead against his, letting his presence soothe her as she reached out mentally to reconnect with the environment around her. She stilled the raging storm building around the mansion, letting nature take control once more as Logan stood there, unsure of what was happening.

He looked at her, his voice gentle as he touched her arm. "What's goin' on 'round here? And what's with the fireworks outside?"

She shook her head as reached out, embracing him once more, resting her head on his shoulder. Bracing herself for the explosion she knew would come at her next words. "It is nothing; I just had an argument with Forge and I was a bit upset." She felt him stiffen and gripped him tighter. She knew that he was only an instant away from pulling away and seeking out Forge. As much as she thought he might deserve whatever Logan was about to do to him, she had no wish to see it actually happen.

"That good fer nothin' son of bitch is here? Let go of me 'Ro; he and I need ta have a little talk; and it's long overdue." He didn't want to simply shrug her off; he could have easily enough and they both knew it.

But he needed her to let him know that going after Forge was what she wanted him to do. If she let go of him at that moment, that was enough justification for what he wanted to do to the man. But she held onto him telling him that wasn't she wanted.

She stood there, her forehead touching his, understanding full well what was going through his mind and what he was feeling. "Logan, no matter what I might feel about the man, no matter how much I might think he deserves what you plan to do to him, I could not live with my conscience if I allowed or worse condoned what you are about to do."

Logan sighed loudly relaxing against her in surrender. "You win this time darlin'. But he and I will settle this. He hurt ya and I don't plan on lettin' what he did to ya go that easily." She smiled as he kissed her gently. "Just what did he say to you to piss you off anyway?"

She sighed, dropping her arms as she thought back on the conversation. "Logan, I was not angry because of anything he said. He told me that he simply wished to talk. Whereupon I told him he could take a flying leap off of the roof for all I cared."

Logan seemed extremely pleased. "Ya told him that?"

She shrugged. "Well, not in those words exactly but yes, that was the gist of it."

He reached up, taking her face gently in his hands and kissing her soundly, only letting her go when she began to sway. "That's my girl. So how's about a sparrin' session?"

She looked at him in puzzlement. "Now, but why?"

He led her through the mansion, heading for the elevator that would take them down into the bowels of the mansion where the danger room rested. "It'll take the edge off all that anger yer carryin' around. Besides it'll be fun; I'll even let ya pin me to the mat a couple of times." He wiggled his eyebrows at her as he drew her into the elevator, his hand caressing her back.

She laughed at the hopeful look in his eyes and let him lead her away, both mentally and physically, from the source of her annoyance. "You are such a letch."

He gave her a deadpan look as the doors began sliding shut. "Always, darlin', always."

* * *

While Ororo and Logan descended into the bowels of the mansion, their attention turning towards fighting android and hologram opponents and other more pleasurable pursuits, Scott was wandering around the mansion, looking for Jean and their so called mystery guest. He had not been at the mansion when said guest arrived earlier that day; having been sent on an errand by his pregnant and somewhat demanding lover.

He rounded a corner, not really paying attention to his surroundings when he heard a somewhat familiar voice calling his name. He looked up to see Forge standing in the hallway, a pleased smile on his face. The surprise showed on his face as he stepped closer to the man and took the offered hand out of sheer habit.

"Hey Scott, I didn't see you when I first got in." Forge shook his hand, clapping him warmly on the shoulder as he did so.

Scott forced a smile on his face as he returned the gesture. He wanted nothing more than to brush the older man off but his own manners held him firm. "Forge, is that you? Jean told me we had a guest but she didn't say who it was. Damn, it's really good to see you again."

Forge laughed as they started walking down the hallway once more. "Same here. I saw Jean when I first got here but she didn't stop to talk, something about needing to head off an explosion. So how have things been?"

Scott mentally winced, knowing very well what the explosion was that Jean had been talking about. Ororo and Logan were expected back from their trip today. He wondered if Ororo and Forge had spoken. Considering that Forge was still alive, he could only assume that Logan had not heard about their guest or that Ororo had managed to find him first.

He ran his hand through his hand nervously as his mind raced for a way to leave Forge without raising the man's suspicions. "Great, really great. Umm, about that explosion, did Jean happen to mention anything more about it?"

Forge shook his head, a puzzled expression coming over his face. "No, just that some kind of emergency had come up in the hangar bay and she'd catch up with me later. She sent me off to the professor before I could even get a chance to blink. Listen, there's not something really wrong is there?"

Scott shook his head, thinking quickly. "No, its just some glitch with the hangar controls we're working on. Nothing major."

"I could take a look at it for you if you'd like."

Scott shook his head a little violently as he held up his hands, searching for a way to change the subject. "No, that's okay, we can handle it. It's kind of like a vendetta now; it's a personal grudge. I'm sure Jean was just making sure Ororo got in okay."

Forge frowned. "Ororo was away?"

"Yeah, she came back from a camping trip today with the mini jet and Jean wanted to be sure she could land the damn thing inside the hangar without a problem."

Again, Forge gave Scott a strange look. "Hmm. Ororo went camping? That doesn't sound like her."

Scott gave him a serious look, his voice soft and somber. "She's not exactly the same woman you left behind seven years ago."

"So I'm discovering." He sighed. "Listen Scott I don't mean to pry, but how has she been?"

"Don't you think you should ask her that?"

Again the older man sighed. "I tried and I got verbally slapped for my efforts."

Scott did not bother to hide his annoyance, lashing out at him. "Give her a break Forge, you broke her heart. What'd you expect that she'd just forgive you and forget it ever happened?"

There was silence for several moments as Forge pondered his words. "I guess I deserved that. Can you at least tell me if she's seeing anyone?"

He'd been wondering if Forge knew about Logan and Ororo. Now he knew Forge was still in the dark, the words coming from the man's very own mouth. Scott was no fool; there was a reason Ororo had not told him yet. And he knew Forge was hunting. But he was not going to find what he was looking for. Scott was not going to reveal a thing to the man until he'd had a moment to talk to Jean and Ororo.

Scott shook his head slightly. "I really think you should talk to her about this."

Forge chuckled. "That would be a no."

Despite himself, Scott chuckled also. "Sorry, but there are only two things in this world that scare me more than Ororo's temper."

"And what would those be?"

"Jean's temper and what the two of them together would do to me if I ever pissed off either one."

"I know a subject change when I hear one. So how is Jean?"

This time Scott's face was lit by a large, stupid grin as he answered the question. Not only glad that Forge had taken the hint, but also ecstatic about the recent events of his life. "We're getting married, right before the school year starts."

Forge rolled his eyes even as he smiled. "Finally."

"Yeah, and we just found out a couple of weeks ago that Jean's pregnant."

Forge stopped in his tracks, completely surprised at the news. He reached out and clapped Scott soundly on the back. "Well, congratulations. This is good news. Tell you what, how about you grab Warren, Hank and any other guy in this place and I take you all out to celebrate, on me."

Nervously, Scott ran his hand through his hair. He didn't really want to go out and celebrate with Forge. And he sure as hell didn't want Hank and Warren along for the ride. Scott had no idea just why Ororo hadn't even hinted to Forge that she'd moved on with her life. All he knew was that she wanted it to be kept quiet.

Warren would have no problem doing just that if Scott asked, but Hank, well Hank could be a little absentminded. And he might let something slip despite himself. He could think of only one person who could help him, he had no idea just how in the world he was going to convince Logan he needed help.

"I think we can handle that. Although I don't think any of us here will go for anything real highbrow. You might be able to drag us to the local steak house though."

Forge chuckled ruefully his hopes of a somewhat decadent meal flying out the window in the face of more simplistic tastes. "Nice to know that some things never change. I'll meet you guys downstairs at 7. Remember, tonight's on me." Forge continued walking down the hall, leaving Scott standing there.

"Well let's hope that money's the only thing you'll lose out on tonight." He muttered as he watched Forge walk away. "Now, if I can just get Logan to come tonight. Hope he's come back in a damned good mood." He sighed lightly as he walked away, looking for Jean.

* * *

"No!" Logan's voice was adamant and forceful. He couldn't believe that Scott would even think about it, let alone ask him to come along. He had no intention of even pretending to be civil to the man who'd broken Ororo's heart. He sure as hell wasn't planning on spending any time with him. But Scott was proving persistent.

Scott had found him in one of the equipment rooms putting away the rest of the gear that he and Ororo had used during their sparring session earlier that day. He'd been trying to change Logan's mind for the past five minutes, with little success. "Logan, if you'd just…"

Logan slammed one of the lockers shut, his anger rising to cover his vision in a curtain of red as he turned on the taller man. "The answer is no!" He accompanied this with a sharp jab to the Scott's shoulder.

Scott sighed loudly, ignoring the jab as kept trying. "You'd think I was asking you to cut off your damn arm."

Logan snorted loudly, some of the anger leaving him. "Ya might as well ask fer that instead; ya've got a better chance of seein' it happen." He tried to walk past Scott and out the door but found his path blocked by Scott's arm.

Scott tried placation. "All I'm asking is for you to come along."

Logan found himself resisting the urge to simply knock him aside and leave. No matter how satisfying the gesture might be, he knew it would piss Jean off. And in her current condition, only a suicidal idiot would go courting the red-heads temper. "I don't give a rat's ass what ya promised him Cyke, I ain't goin'!"

This time, Scott lost his temper and began shouting at the shorter mutant. "Dammit Logan, if you'd just get your head out of your ass for a minute you'd see that I need your help with this."

Again, a derisive snort from Logan. "Ya need my help? With him? Why, I thought you two were tighter than flies on shit."

"You can be so god damned crude."

"I call 'em like I see 'em. And I ain't going anywhere with that jackass. So ya can take yer damn arguments and shove 'em up yer boy scout ass." This time he brushed past Scott and left the room, heading towards the elevator. Ororo was waiting for him in their room, having promised him a long, hot shower to be followed with a soothing massage. And knowing her, it would likely lead to something much more relaxing. Logan felt a slight leer crossing his face as he approached the elevator, his thoughts to Ororo and the hoped for erotic play she had hinted at earlier.

Scott's voice pulled him from those pleasant thoughts as he too stormed out of the equipment room.

"Dammit Logan, there's more going on here than you realize. The last time he was here, I trusted him, we all did and he hurt Ororo. The man was my friend but he destroyed that when he walked out on her. I don't trust him."

Logan paused at the elevator, the words drawing him up short, his thoughts centering on the unspoken message that lay between them. _And if I end up hurtin' her? What then Scott? What will ya do ta me?_

When Ororo and Logan had first begun dating, there had been a discussion between him and Jean and even one between him and Remy; although that one had degenerated into a pissing contest rather quickly. Hell he'd even talked to the professor about his intentions and what he felt eventually.

But Logan had never really thought Scott would have an opinion one way or the other; at least not an opinion that wasn't blinded by dislike or mistrust. So as far as Scott went, Logan had no idea what his reaction might be if something should happen between him and Ororo. He had no idea where he stood with man and that bothered Logan. He decided that now was the time to find out just how Scott really felt about his and Ororo's relationship.

"Why not?" Logan's voice was soft.

Scott stepped towards him, trying to keep his voice low. Despite where they were, he didn't want to be overheard. "Because he's not here for what he says he is. At least not only for he says he is."

That caught Logan's attention. He wondered if Scott was thinking the same suspicious thoughts he was at the moment. "I'm listenin'." Logan grunted.

"Look, I spoke with Jean today about Forge. She thinks that he's come back for something besides what he's been telling the professor. And after talking with him earlier, I believe her. And I don't think he's come back because he missed this damn place."

Logan finished his thought. "You think he's come back for 'Ro?"

Scott nodded. "Yes, I do."

For a moment there was a moment of silence again as Logan stood there, thinking. It would make a sick sort of sense, Forge using mutant experimentation as an excuse to come back to the mansion. Knowing that with that kind of story in his pocket, he would be readily welcomed despite his past actions. It wasn't necessarily something he would do under the same circumstances, but who knew?

The question was, how did Scott and everyone else feel about the possibility? Was the memory of Ororo's pain still strong enough in their minds? Would they want to keep the older mutant at bay, or encourage his efforts? He had to know, now. He met Scott's gaze as he spoke again. "Do ya think she'd go back to him?"

Scott met his gaze unflinchingly, the surprise evident on his face. "What kind of question is that?"

"A damned good one."

Scott shook his head. "No, it's a pointless question."

Logan shook his head again. He knew where Ororo's heart lay; he just needed to be sure that everyone else knew as well. "Not from where I'm sittin' it ain't"

Annoyed, Scott stepped towards and gave him a sharp jab in the chest as he spoke. "If you really think that, then you have no idea of how much she really loves you. She shot him down today, before he even managed to open the damn gate. So what's that tell you?"

Logan smiled, the expression feral and cold. It was not pleasant. Despite himself, he couldn't help but feel a bit touched that Scott, of all people had stood up for him. "I know how she feels, I just wasn't sure about what the rest of ya feel 'bout her goin' back ta him. Now I know."

Scott sighed, seemingly unfazed by Logan's actions. "Well his wanting her back isn't the only reason I want you along tonight."

"What there's more?"

"Yeah. When Ororo shot him down today, she didn't mention you or the fact that you two are sharing a room."

Logan shrugged. "Don't really surprise me none. Ya know how closed off she gets. Maybe she didn't think he had a right ta know."

"Yeah well, even when he does find out, I don't think he's going to take 'no' for an answer."

Logan chuckled, studying his knuckles, the muscles in his forearms slowly tightening and relaxing. "Maybe he just needs ta hear it from the right person."

"That's why I want you to come. I need you to help me keep an eye on him and keep him finding out about the two of you until Ororo decides to tell him." Logan looked at him unconvinced. Scott continued on, ignoring the look. "Look, Warren doesn't trust him but between him and Hank, I'm going to have a hard time keeping you guys under wraps. Especially with Hank."

Logan sighed. "What the hell am I gonna be able ta do Scott? I hate the man because he hurt her."

"I'm not asking you to be his buddy, I'm just asking for a hand in keeping him in line and sending him the message that Ororo is off limits."

Logan held up his hand, studying his knuckles again. This time, he tensed the muscles in his forearms a bit more and the tips of his claws broke through the skin before slowly retracting once more. He relished the sharp sting of his parting flesh and turned his attention back to Scott. "Just give me five minutes with him. I guarantee ya, he'll get the message loud and clear."

"We're going for subtly here Logan, not brute force. It's a lot more effective." Scott said drolly.

Logan let his hand fall and sighed loudly. "Yeah, but no where near as satisfying."

"So are you in or what?"

"Yeah, I'll go. But don't be surprised if it ain't pleasant. From what I heard 'bout this guy, he could rub Mother Theresa the wrong way."


	30. Circling the Wagons

Forge takes the guys out to celebrate Scott's marriage and pending fatherhood. Logan, having been talked into going by Scott (despite his own anger at the man), decides to poke at the gifted mutant. And, well you'll see.

Author's Note: This chapter was really fun to write for some reason. Maybe because I finally got explore Logan's protective side to some extent. And there was the added bonus of poking a bit of fun at Forge; I never really liked the fact that he walked away from Ororo in the comics. No matter how much everyone thought he was genius, it just made him seem really stupid to me. Oh well, read, review and enjoy!

* * *

"I do not like it Logan." Her voice was filled with annoyance and just a bit of exasperation at the whole affair.

Logan sighed slightly, tightening his arms around Ororo as they continued staring at the sky. They were out on the roof, just above the window to the loft, trying to catch a moment or two of peace and quiet before any new chaos descended upon them.

He kissed her forehead as she lay against his chest, still struck by how well she fit against his side. "I know darlin', but I told Scott I'd go."

She tensed against him and gave a shake of her head. "Scott should not have asked. I cannot believe that he did."

Logan sat up a bit, forcing her to look up at him. "I know yer mad; hell I would be too. But yer the one that decided he didn't have a right to know that ya moved on. We just want ta send the bastard the message that ya ain't available."

Her face hardened as she jabbed him in the chest. "Scott could have done that very well on his own. Why do you need to be involved?"

He cupped her face in his large, grizzled hands, gently rubbing his thumb over her jaw line. Her eyes softened slightly at his touch. "Cause I don't trust the guy, anymore than Scott does right now."

She pulled away from him, sitting up and crossing her arms over chest. For a moment, she looked as if she would begin pouting any moment. "And so you feel the need to go out to dinner with him and the others because you do not trust him?"

Again Logan sighed. The woman was more persistent than a bulldog with a bone. "No, I'm goin' out ta dinner with him because I need to know just how much I don't trust him."

There was a moment or two of silence from the woman next to him as she pondered his words. "Logan, I know that often you see things differently than the rest of us, but even I cannot follow that twisted bit of logic."

He reached out, taking her hands in his own, entwining their fingers. "Ororo, he came here askin' the professor for help fer a reason. You and I both know that if that reason ain't real, Chuck'll find out and it'll put Forge in a bad spot. My guess is that the excuse he used to come back here is real and it's bad. So, Chuck will probably ask us to go and investigate for ourselves. Now, I don't know 'bout you, but I'd like to know just how far I can trust this guy before I _have_ ta trust the guy." She still did not look convinced. "Do ya trust me 'Ro?"

"What?" There was surprise, written across her face and overlying her voice.

He squeezed her hands slightly, his eyes holding her own with reservation. "I said do ya trust me?"

She reached out, touching his face. "I heard what you said, I just cannot believe that you would feel the need to ask me that. Of course I trust you. I gave you my heart, did I not?"

"Yeah, ya did." He smiled slightly.

"Then why ask me that question?" She spoke as if she were humoring a slightly rambunctious child. Given just who she was speaking to, she was probably not far off the mark.

He sighed, dropping his eyes as he let her in on the plan to get inside Forge's head. "Cause tonight, I'm probably gonna say some stuff to this guy that you ain't gonna like hearin' 'bout. But I need ta know if he's still obsessed with ya and there's only one way ta do that."

Realization dawned quickly for her. "You are going to pick a fight with him."

He nodded. "Yeah."

"You are going to insult my honor." Her voice held no emotion whatsoever.

He sighed, feeling a touch of guilt at the neutral tone in her voice. "Not like ya think. I'm just gonna make a few choice comments and see what it does to him. It won't be much; it won't have ta be if he's as gone on ya as Scott and Jean thinks he is. Nothin' personal though, I promise." He heard her sigh and lay her head down on his shoulder. He didn't like it anymore than she did, but it was the only way.

"Logan?" Something in her voice lifted his eyes back to hers.

He looked up, seeing a strange, unreadable look on his lover's face. "Yeah darlin'?"

"Promise me one more thing?"

"Anything."

"Do not hit him."

At this, he gave a sharp chuckle. "I ain't plannin' on startin' a brawl darlin'."

She touched his shoulder, her eyes pleading as she spoke. "I am serious, please. I know that you can handle yourself in a fight and I know that he is no match for you. But please, do not resort to violence tonight."

He reached out cupping her face gently in his hands as he leaned forward and gave her a tender kiss. "'Ro, long as he behaves himself and don't push my buttons we'll be fine. I've been in plenty of pissing contests and as far as Forge knows, that's all this is. He won't start a fight cause he won't stoop to my level. And I'll be damned if he draws me inta one so you've got nothin' ta worry 'bout."

"Thank you." The relief on her face was almost tangible.

He leaned forward and gave her a peck on the cheek as he stood and walked down the roof. "I'll be back as quick as I can. Why don't you go keep Jean company, I think between the two of ya, ya could come up with somethin' ta make his life a livin' hell."

She chuckled, not moving as she watched him make his way to the window. "You should not encourage us Logan."

He snorted, leaning back out the window, his weathered Stetson perched atop his head. "Encourage nothin'. I wanna be in on it." Then he was gone.

* * *

Logan jogged down the stairs, nearly running into Scott as he approached one of the lower landings. The two men fell in step together as they continued downstairs, heading towards the garage.

Scott turned to look at Logan as they walked along, his ruby quartz glasses glinting in the dull light of the hallway. "You ready for this Logan?"

Logan set his Stetson on his head and nodded. "Yeah."

"So what's the plan?"

Logan shrugged slightly. "Just follow my lead." They reached the landing on the second floor and Logan reached out to stop Scott. "Listen I had a talk with 'Ro and she ain't too happy about this."

Scott shrugged, seemingly unsurprised. "I guess she wouldn't be."

Logan pressed on. He wanted Scott to be very well aware that Ororo was unhappy with what was being done. Largely because he didn't want Scott to be ambushed later by an angry, pregnant fiancé. "I told her what we were plannin' on doin' and she ain't too happy about that either."

Scott smirked at him, folding his arms across his chest. "Seems we're 0 for 2 tonight."

"Yeah and its only gonna get worse. Cause I guarantee that after tonight, you and Jean ain't gonna like me much either." He pulled out a cigar and lit it, ignoring both Scott's annoyed expression and the professor's ban inside the mansion.

"What are you going to do Logan?" There was a touch of uncertainty and trepidation in Scott's voice.

Logan blew some smoke out and regarded the taller mutant for a few moments before responding. He knew he should be honest and tell him everything. But he also knew that for this to work, everyone's reactions needed to be as realistic as possible. And while Scott was gifted with many talents, acting wasn't really one of them. Logan wasn't sure Scott could pull off the emotional response he'd need to convince Forge that Logan was a acting like an ass.

Not to mention that he was a little too emotionally involved in the problem to see it clearly. If the man suspected even for a moment what Logan was up to, he knew the younger man would be against it. Simply because what he planned to do was likely to hurt Ororo or make Jean angry. So for the time being, he was going to keep his plans to himself. And spring them on everyone when they could do nothing about them. It was the only way he could think of to pull it off. Scott simply wouldn't cooperate otherwise.

He gave a feral smile, feeling it pull wide across his face, showing plenty of teeth. "I'm gonna rattle his cage."

Scott didn't bother to hide his annoyance. "And you think is a good idea because?"

Logan felt his own temper rising to the challenge and felt the beast stir deep within him as he stepped closer to Scott. "He's goin' after 'Ro. I want to see how far I can push the guy before he gets his back up about her. I wanna know just how far gone he is and if its goin' ta cause a problem."

Scott sighed, slowly walking down the final set of stairs once more. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like what you plan on doing?"

Logan chuckled, taking another healthy puff on his cigar. "Cause ya ain't gonna like what I'm plannin' on doin'. But I'm expectin' ya ta keep yer mouth shut and play along. Otherwise it's gonna take me longer ta feel this guy out. And trust me, you don't want me ta keep interactin' with this guy."

Scott gave in, resignedly. "Fine. I'll cut you some slack, but if you screw this up, or worse Jean hears about what you said…"

Again the beast stirred slightly at the posturing, but remained quiet. "What, you'll come after me?"

A strange smile appeared on Scott's face. "Worse, I'll sic Jean on you."

The sinister smile disconcerted Logan but the younger man's words truly frightened him. No one, not even the professor wanted a highly hormonal Jean aimed at them. They had all been told repeatedly by the professor that Jean's behavior was perfectly normal for her condition. True though that might be, most of the other residents went out of their way to avoid a confrontation with her. The only two who seemed safe from her ire lately were Scott and Ororo; although even Scott seemed to be a target from time to time.

The very idea that he might be on the receiving end of one of Jean's moods was enough to scare the pants off even the mighty Wolverine. He sighed loudly, taking another puff on his cigar, trying to push down the panic the mere thought caused him. "Damn Scooter, you fight dirty. Keep the pregnant lady outta this."

Scott jabbed him in the shoulder, a smile dancing across his face. "Then don't screw this up." They continued down the final flight of stairs in silence.

* * *

"Hey Forge, I rounded up everybody I could. I know you know Hank and Warren and this is Logan. He just started teaching self defense this year."

Forge stepped forward, shaking everyone's hand. When he reached Logan, a strange look passed over his face before he grabbed Logan's hand firmly in his own. "Self defense huh? Sounds kind of…interesting." His voice held an underlying touch of sarcasm that was so subtle, Logan wasn't completely sure he had heard it.

He felt his hackles rise slightly at the threat. Deep inside, he felt the beast come completely awake. It didn't push forward, it just simply sat there, just beneath his consciousness, watching and waiting and very aware. For a moment, Logan's senses sharpened as his instincts searched for the veiled threat. The sensation was a bit disconcerting, but somewhat comforting.

He shrugged. "Can be. The kids run me ragged sometimes but hell its fun kickin' 'em around when I get the chance."

Again, there was a flash of expression across the other man's face as he spoke. Again Logan felt his hackles rise at the gesture. "I'll bet. Hey Scott, I need to ask you something real quick."

Scott looked at him in surprise and then nodded. "Uh, sure. Why don't you guys just meet us in the garage? We'll be right there."

Logan stood there for a second or two, wondering if he should argue against their leaving. But the beast, though alert remained still and quiet. So, he simply followed Hank and Warren outside.

* * *

Scott turned to regard his one time friend as the door closed behind the other men. Forge appeared nervous, uncertain even and Scott wondered at the cause of the behavior.

He pointed at the door as he spoke. "That man you introduced me to, Logan how well do you know him?"

Scott shrugged wondering just what Forge knew about him. "Well enough. He's been gone for awhile and came back at the beginning of the school year. He's been a real asset to the team. Why?"

Forge paused for a moment, as if he were considering just how much detail he should reveal. "I've seen some classified government files with his name on them. The man's a hired killer a real psychopath. Works mostly with the Canadian government. But apparently he's their go-to guy whenever they need someone silenced. He's dangerous."

Now Scott began to understand. If Forge had indeed seen such files, then he knew just what Logan had been doing before he joined the X-men. And he figured that he was obligated to warn Scott.

Scott bit back an urge to chuckle as he realized that Forge had no idea just how much Xavier and the rest of the team already knew about their Canadian member. "Forge, I'm sure if you look closer at those files you find out that he hasn't been doing any of that for a while now. Not for the last ten to fifteen years. Not since his government turned him into a lab rat and chopped him up for experiments."

Forge scoffed. "You can't possibly trust him."

Scott felt himself getting defensive. "I do. And not just because he's been a help to the team but because Charles, Jean and Ororo all trust him. He's one of us."

"No matter how well behaved a wild animal may be, you don't invite it into your home." Forge's voice was quiet but there was no mistaking the malice in it. It startled Scott a great deal.

Forge was normally very laid back. Very little ever seemed to faze the man and he never lost his cool. But something about Logan was very upsetting to him. So much so that Scott could feel it rolling off of him in waves. And his normal nonchalant manner was being tossed out the window.

Scott wondered just what could possibly be bothering him but couldn't come up with anything. So he simply filed it away for future reference and stepped closer to older man. "He's part of the team, Forge. He's a good guy, despite what he's done in the past. So I wouldn't say that too loud if I were you. There are a couple of people here who are rather fond of him."

This time Forge looked as if he'd swallowed something very unpleasant. "You actually like the guy."

Without thought or hesitation, Scott nodded. "He's a friend of mine, yeah. So play nice tonight all right?" After he spoke he realized the truth of his own words.

Somewhere along the line they'd gone from being bitter enemies, to comrades, to friends. He filed that information away as well and walked towards the door. He intended to have a good time tonight, despite Forge or in spite of him. He held the door open, waiting for Forge to make up his mind.

Forge sighed but simply nodded. "Fine. Let's go." He did not look happy as he walked through the door.

* * *

"So he's standing there with this thing on his head and he has no idea that its there. The rest of us are just losing it, laughing so hard we can't even see. And all he can do is just stare at us and say 'What?'."

The table broke out into loud peals of laughter at Forge's story. Even Logan chuckled along with the rest of them. He took a sip of his beer as he contemplated Forge out of the corner of his eye. He had no idea what had been said between Forge and Scott but whatever it was, both Scott and Forge were pissed about it.

They had both come out of the mansion, side by side and silent as they approached the garage. It didn't take a genius to see the anger between the two as they simply walked into the garage and climbed into one of the larger mansion vehicles. The others had quietly followed suite. The ride to the restaurant had been tense, palpably so. Even Hank, who was often teased about his oblivious nature noticed and the car remained tensely silent.

But the moment the group entered the steak house, Forge's mood abruptly changed. He flirted with the hostess and waitress as they were seated and their drink orders were taken. And for the past fifteen minutes, he'd been entertaining them with humorous stories about his work and some of his coworkers. Logan found the sudden change in his demeanor a bit disturbing. He took another sip of his beer, Forge's next words pulling him out of his thoughts.

"I propose a toast." Forge raised his glass and the rest of them followed suite. "To Jean and Scott and the new addition. May your life continue to be filled with the joy and laughter true happiness brings."

The five men clinked glasses as each man nodded at the toast. They each drank deeply and for a moment or two there was silence around the table.

Logan glanced surreptitiously at Forge for a moment during this silence. They hadn't exchanged more than two words since Scott introduced them. Logan felt as if Forge was deliberately ignoring him and he wondered why. Not that he really cared one way or the other, but for his plan to work, he needed Forge's attention. He couldn't help but think that Forge's attitude and the words exchanged earlier between Scott and Forge were tied together somehow; with him smack dab in the middle.

He decided to ask Scott about it later but for now, he decided it was time to grab Forge's attention and start feeling the man out. And he'd start with their waitress, just now approaching their table with their meals. As she set their meals down, he let his eyes rove over her body, leering as he did so. He saw Forge watching him out of the corner of his eye and let his eyes linger on her ass as she walked away. He turned, seeing Forge watching him and gave the other man a wink as he turned his attention to his meal.

"So how's the food Logan, steak bloody enough for you?" Forge's voice floated across the table, a subtle sneer coating it as he watched Logan enjoying his meal.

Logan took another large bite of his steak, talking around the mouthful. "Almost." He watched as Forge stared at him for a moment longer, an unreadable look on his face before turning to his own meal.

Across from Logan, Warren gave a slight chuckle at the exchange. "Man he must be upset, he's down to single word responses tonight. Wonder what's up with him."

Scott took up the conversation, ribbing Logan a bit as he did so. "Maybe he doesn't feel like drinking."

Warren scoffed. "Right, you've never seen him drink."

Scott snorted, taking another sip of his own beer. "Must be nice having a healing factor." He paused a moment as he met Logan's gaze.

Logan could clearly see the other man's eyes behind his ruby quartz glasses and pondered the expression on Scott's face. Scott was planning something but Logan had no idea what it could be. The taller man's next words surprised the hell out of him and everyone else at the table.

"No, I think he's just a bit upset that he's going to have to stop flirting with Jean."

There was a slight pause around the table. Everyone seemed to hold their breath for a moment, all for very different reasons. Logan's attraction to Jean was common knowledge among the adult members of the mansion. But it wasn't something any of them talked about; at least not when Logan was around. Scott bringing it up now, in front of Forge no less was completely unexpected to say the least.

"Flirting with Jean?" Forge was the first to break the silence.

Logan watched as Scott flashed a subtle hand signal at Warren and Hank, telling them simply to play along. He held his breath waiting for their response.

"Yeah, Logan has a real thing for our red-head." Warren said as he glanced at Scott, his expression demanding an explanation at the earliest opportunity. He turned his gaze to the feral mutant.

Logan snorted, taking a slug of beer, followed by a rather large bite of steak. He turned steely eyes to Warren. "Can it Feathers. I'm over it."

Somewhat surprised by the comment, Warren chuckled. "A little feisty tonight Logan. What's the matter mate, she turn you down yet again?"

Again Logan snorted. "Don't know 'bout that. Maybe I've just found somethin' better ta look at."

This time Scott snorted. "Something better, right."

Logan turned his attention to him, glad that Scott was playing along. And mentally apologizing beforehand for what he was about to say. "Just cause yer 'bout ta be leashed don't mean that the rest of us ain't lookin'."

Scott's reaction was perfect. He went still giving Logan a somewhat blank stare. "Just what's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on One-Eye, we both know Jean's got ya on a short leash. Hell the two of ya might as well be joined at the hip yer so damned whipped." Logan leaned back as the waitress sat another refill down in front of him.

"He's got a point mate." Warren pointed to his own glass and sent the waitress off before she overheard too much and decided they were all a bunch of pigs.

"So you're saying that I wouldn't even notice another beautiful woman, is that it?" Scott's voice was filled with anger and sheer disblief.

Warren clapped his hands together softly, mindful not to poke himself with his fork. "The boy is quick. Give him another beer."

Logan laughed harshly. "I bet ya wouldn't even notice another beautiful woman if she fell in yer lap, Scooter."

Warren sniggered just as the waitress walked back up. "Oh he'd notice her all right, long enough to say 'excuse me ma'am,' before gallantly helping her to her feet."

Logan shook his head, ignoring the annoyed look on the waitress's face as she set down Warren's drink. "Damned boy scout probably wouldn't even take a peek down her blouse either." He caught the flash of irritation on the server's face as she walked away and mentally decided the woman deserved a huge tip after this.

Scott snorted, continuing to eat. "Just because you're a letch doesn't mean the rest of us have to be."

"Letch nothin'. It's human nature." Logan finished off his meal and turned his attention to the rest of his beer. He finished it with a soft belch which caused Forge to wince slightly.

Scott shook his head. "With you, it's just being a letch."

Logan held a hand to his chest, pasting a proud expression on his face. He did after all appreciate beautiful women; always had. So he wasn't speaking too far off base as he explained. "It's all part of the package. Besides, some women like it." He indicated the room around them where they could see quite few lovely nicely dressed women. "Why else do they dress in such skimpy outfits? Cause they want us to look. Well, I'm lookin'."

Again Scott snorted, anger coloring his voice. It was so convincing that for a moment, Logan wondered how much of this was an act to him and how much was just Scott, being himself.

"Scantily clad women in bars aren't the only ones we've caught you looking at. You notice anything in a skirt Logan."

"There a problem with that?" Logan looked around appearing to gaze at said women but keeping his eyes just above their heads. He might appreciate beautiful women, but he was also spoken for. And while he might look and enjoy the view from time to time, he felt no real desire to leer at or ogle them.

"Guess not; so long as you're only 'looking'. Some of them are off limits and way out of your league."

Everyone oohed around the table as the comment sailed out of Scott's mouth.

"I think he means Jean." Hank stage whispered to the winged man sitting next to him.

"You could be right mate." Warren laughed.

Scott looked at Logan, his face set and stiff. "Jean isn't the only one out of his league."

"What's that supposed ta mean?" Logan's voice was hard and sharp as steel. He wanted Scott to play along but he wondered just what the damned man was up to.

Scott leaned across the table, lowering his voice slightly but the occupants of the table could still hear him clearly. "I saw you eyeballing Ororo the other day when she was sunbathing by the pool. Seems to me you don't stand a chance with her."

Logan snorted, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned away from Scott. "Maybe, maybe not. Never tried ta get her attention before. But now that ya mention it, maybe I should rethink that." There was a tense pause around the table and Logan threw his hands up in the air. "Oh like the rest of ya haven't noticed. Come on, she's hot. Great body, all that hair and damn, that soft skin." Logan whistled softly and watched Hank and Warren exchange puzzled glances.

Warren shrugged. "She is good to look at but that woman's got a fierce temper."

"Yeah but what a way ta go. I bet she's somethin' else 'tween the sheets. Course, you might know somethin' 'bout that, wouldn't ya Forge."

Forge looked at Logan, his face smooth and unreadable but not quite able to hide the sneer of disdain in his voice. "My apologies, Logan but I will not divulge such personal information to the likes of you."

Logan leaned forward, giving the other man a smile as he did so. "Come on tin man, it's just us guys here. Ain't none of us got a chance with her, spill it."

Forge stiffened at Logan's tone. His words were clipped and short. "No, I will not. And I kindly ask you to refrain from speaking of her in that manner. Ororo is a very dignified, sophisticated woman whose reputation should not be sullied about like some harlot by someone who can barely keep his knuckles from dragging on the floor."

Logan felt the beast snap awake. It had remained dormant the entire time he'd talked to Forge, but now it was awake, restless and angered at the insult. "You better watch what you say tin man. I've killed bigger men than you for less. One more dead body won't mean dick ta me." Logan could feel the growl fighting to be free but swallowed it down, pushing the beast back.

Forge smiled at Logan. "Yes, I am well aware of your reputation, Wolverine. I'd say it's rather well earned, don't you think?" He looked around the table, as if wondering just what the rest of them knew about him.

Logan, reading his intentions chuckled softly. "I don't hide from my past Forge and I ain't ashamed of the stuff I done neither. There ain't any secrets at this table, at least not between me and these guys. Everyone here knows nearly everythin' 'bout everybody else." The others nodded. Logan never took his eyes off of Forge as he spoke. "The only one at this table hidin' anythin' is you."

Forge laughed, the sound brittle and sharp as if forced. "You really think that? You're paranoid."

Logan was paranoid. But he also knew that coincidence could only be stretched so far before it snapped and became conspiracy. "Maybe but it still don't change the fact that yer comin' here smells kinda funny. Why are ya really here Forge?"

"For exactly what I have said: I came back because I have information for the professor about experiments being performed on mutants. Why else would I come back?" The sneer was back in his voice.

He hadn't intended to push so far the first time, but he couldn't resist pushing further to see if the other man broke and revealed too much. He decided to swing the hammer and see where it landed. "Oh, I don't know, maybe cause ya realize ya lost somethin' real damned special. Maybe cause ya think ya got a second chance, who knows? I ain't no telelpath."

Forge's lips thinned slightly as he took a deep breath and stood suddenly, ignoring Logan's comment and his earlier question. He turned to the others, completely ignoring Logan's presence at the table. "Well, as nice as this been gentlemen, I really must make a couple of calls. I'll take a cab back to the mansion." He quickly walked away, only stopping to take care of the bill with the waitress.

Once he'd gone, Scott turned his ire on Logan. "Dammit Logan, what happened to subtle?"

"That guy was pissin' me off. I just wanted ta rattle his cage a little." Logan snapped back.

"Yeah, well he knows were onto him now and he'll be more careful."

Logan nodded. "Good. I don't want him sniffin' 'round 'Ro. Now he won't cause he thinks we'll be watchin' him. It'll keep him on his toes fer a bit."

Warren cleared his throat gently and Logan and Scott turned to him. "Would someone kindly explain what all that bloody nonsense was about just now?"

Scott sighed, forgetting that Hank and Warren hadn't been in on the plan. "Forge doesn't know about Ororo and Logan and she wants to keep it that way for a little while. So we thought it best to warn him that she was off limits to him. But Demolition Man here doesn't do subtle so well and just basically knocked him over the head with a verbal sledgehammer."

Hank looked at the two of them in surprise. "He does not know that Ororo and Logan are in a relationship?"

"No, he don't and it's goin' ta stay that way 'til she says otherwise. So not a peep from anybody, ya got me?" Logan pointed at both of them to get his point across.

Warren held his hands up in surrender. "Loud and clear mate. I don't want you hunting me down later."

This time Logan's laugh was full and rich. "It ain't me ya gotta worry 'bout, I could care less. Just remember that if ya let it slip, that white haired she-devil we're all so fond of will probably go postal on yer ass." There was a slight twinge around the table. The only thing more legendary than Ororo's temper was Jean's. And if the two of them had cause to be angry at any of them and joined forces, they were all toast. Not one of them even wanted to think about Jean's pregnancy right then.

Hank nodded. "We shall endeavor to keep that in mind."

Scott nodded, throwing his napkin onto the table. "Good, now let's go back to the mansion before Jean decides she has to send me downtown for some other weird food craving she's developed."

* * *

The ride back to the mansion was much less tense without Forge but still just as quiet. As Scott pulled into the garage and parked the car, Logan noticed a new vehicle inside. He grunted at Scott and pointed. 

"Isn't that Remy's car?" Scott frowned slightly as he looked at the other vehicle.

Warren nodded. "But I thought they were coming back next week."

"That was the plan, so far as I knew. Wonder what changed the swamp rat's mind 'bout comin' back early." Logan walked out of the garage, still glancing at Remy's car as he walked through the door. He was halfway between the mansion and the garage when a high-pitched squeal pierced the air.

"Logan!" Rogue flew into him, nearly knocking him down.

He wrapped his arms around her and managed to brace himself before he hit the ground. He laughed as she hugged him hard enough to make his ribs creak. He pulled back and took a real good look at her, pleased at what he saw. The shadows of tension and pain were still gone from her face; just as they had been the last time he'd seen her. More importantly, her face was free of any grief and her eyes held a very familiar sparkle once again. She looked really good.

He smiled at her and hugged her again. "Hey kid. Yer a sight fer sore eyes."

She smiled again and let him go. The other members of the team wandered around her, patting her arm or back, welcoming her home before they disappeared inside, leaving the two of them alone.

"Everything's gonna be all right now Logan. Ya don't have ta worry about me anymore." Her voice was soft as she took his hand and squeezed it gently in her own.

Her words brought it all back to the fore front of his mind. In an instant, the memories flashed over him, enveloping him as he relived the worst moments of her life. He'd been so scared that they were losing her, that he would end up breaking his promise to protect her. But she'd made it through, intact and stronger for it. There would always be scars, for both of them; but at least she was still alive.

He reached out and hugged her again, feeling a lump in his throat at her words. "I'll always worry 'bout ya Rogue. That's what family does." He felt her hug him again just as hard and they stayed that way for several moments. He broke the silence with a question. "What're you guys doin' back so soon. We weren't expectin' ya till next week."

Rogue pulled back and this time her face was deadly serious. "Jean called and said that Forge was back. She said we needed ta be here cause she doesn't trust him. Neither does Remy, so we came home."

"Speakin' of the swamp rat, where is he?"

Rogue frowned at the nickname Logan used and nodded her head towards the mansion. "He's out back. He wants ta talk to ya."

Logan nodded and walked off. Rogue's voice stopped him after only a few steps. "Logan? Don't kill him. He was only looking out for her the only way he knew how. Besides, Ah love the dumb ass."

He chuckled as he nodded and walked around the back of the mansion. He saw Remy standing off the patio, staring off into the gardens as he smoked a cigarette. Or more accurately, he held a smoking cigarette as it burned itself out in his hand.

The young man looked up at Logan's approach. He nodded his head and turned his attention back to the garden, his face thoughtful and quiet.

Logan stood next to him, waiting for Remy to break the silence, pulling out a cigar for himself. He looked out across the gardens and simply stood there and relaxed while he smoked his cigar and waited. After a few moments, Remy finally greeted him.

"Logan." He dropped the cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with his foot as he crushed its burning tip with his shoe.

"Remy." He took a deep puff on his cigar and waited. But after several long moments of silence, it seemed to Logan that Remy wasn't about to say another word. So, in the interest of time and having things he'd much rather be doing, Logan decided to speed things along. "'Ro told me 'bout yer talk in the swamp."

Remy nodded seemingly not surprised. "Remy expected she would." Again there was silence.

Logan drew a deep breath, fighting his irritation. He was finding it very difficult to even attempt a farce of patience with the other man. He didn't even really want to talk to him. All he really wanted to do was go upstairs, find Ororo and settle in for the night. Knowing that a few hours spent in her soothing presence was just what the doctor ordered after his encounter with Forge.

But Remy was proving uncooperative to say the least. And Logan simply didn't care to beat around the bush about the issue that stood between them, so he decided not to. With a rough growl, he broke the silence.

"Look, we could spend the rest of night out here tip toeing 'round the shit that's between us. But honestly, I've filled my quota fer the year. I've got more important things ta take care of. So why don't ya drop the martyr act and get ta the reason ya came back."

"Jean told Remy dat Forge is back." Remy turned to look at Logan for a moment.

Logan nodded. "Yeah he is."

Remy shook his head. "Remy does not like dis."

Logan could see very well that Remy did not like the idea of Forge coming back into Ororo's life. The younger man was tense and his scent reeked with anger. But Logan also didn't trust the sudden change of heart Remy was showing. When last they spoke, Remy would have gladly taken Logan apart if given the chance. Hell he'd already attacked him once without provocation. Logan simply wasn't ready to believe that Remy had changed his mind so soon after that, no matter what he might have said to Ororo.

"Neither do I. But what's that gotta do with ya? We both know ya don't like me either. So what do ya care if she goes back to him? God knows he'd be a much better choice for her then me in yer mind. So why come back when Jean called?"

"Because she asked Remy to come. And because Remy does not like da man." Remy's tone was patronizing, as if he were trying to explain something complicated to a small child.

Logan growled slightly in warning. "And I'm supposed ta believe that you've had a change of heart about me and you're now willin' ta look past yer hatred of me ta keep Forge from gettin' ta Ororo?"

Remy nodded. "_Oui_." Just a single word.

Logan waited, hoping for more of an explanation than that but it wasn't forth coming. He snorted, taking a last drag on his cigar before grinding it against the heel of his boot. "I think you've been spendin' too much time down in that swamp Cajun. The fumes have finally gotten to ya."

"Remy does not expect you to understand." He turned away from Logan, his attention going again to the gardens.

Logan sighed and stepped up to the younger man, looking out across the grounds, his eyes looking past the gardens to a point far off in the distance that only he could see. He knew very well how Remy was feeling.

Remy was Ororo's brother and that kind of bond, at least in the younger man's mind, should always take precedence over anything going on in her life at that moment. But it wasn't working out that way for Remy or Ororo. Because she had fallen in love and found someone to join her family. Whether Remy liked him or not was not even being taken into account and in his mind, he was insulted that his opinion, his advice as Ororo's brother had been ignored.

So, he did the only thing he knew to do: he forced Ororo to make a choice fully expecting her to turn her back on what she felt for Logan and beg his forgiveness for her lapse in judgment. But it hadn't gone down that way and now, faced with a real emotional threat to his sister he was being forced to swallow his pride and attempt to undo the damage he'd inflicted with his actions.

Logan could well understand and even sympathize with the turmoil the other man was feeling. He'd been there enough himself in the past that it felt like coming home in a very strange sense.

"The sad part is I do understand Remy, I really do. Ya want to protect her and keep her safe and ya figure I'm the lesser of two evils." Remy nodded. "Well I got news for ya Swamp Rat, if ya think doin' this is gonna somehow change things 'tween the two of you or us, I got news for ya: it ain't." He didn't look at Remy as he spoke but simply watched him out of the corner of his eyes.

Remy looked puzzled. "Remy doesn't understand dat."

"Ya can't have it both ways Remy. Ya can't ask her ta make a choice in one breath and vow to protect her honor in the next. Ya decide ta do this, it has to be for real, all the way, no holds barred. I need ya ta help me but I don't want ya here if yer only doin' it cause ya think that somehow after yer done with Forge, ya can turn yer attention back ta drivin' me off." Logan waited, giving the young man a moment or two to think.

"Remy does not want Forge in her life. And if da man t'inks dat he has a chance wit her, he is sorely mistaken. Even a blind gator can see dat she is far gone on you. Even Remy can see dat." He spoke softly but firmly and when he'd finished he turned to look back over the gardens again.

For a moment, Logan can't hide his surprise and he simply stared at Remy in shock. He saw the muscles along Remy's jaw clenching and relaxing and realized in that moment just how much it had cost the other man to say those words to someone he really did not like. In that moment, Logan's respect for Remy jumped up several notches and the biting remark he'd been about to make died on his lips before it ever formed. Instead, he cast aside the tally of debt between them and extended the flag of truce towards Ororo's brother.

"Fair enough. Come on, we've got some plannin' ta do."

* * *

Logan and Remy went inside the mansion fully intending to talk about Forge and how to best go about discouraging his interest in Ororo. But the idea went up in smoke the moment they entered the school to find Ororo, Betsy, Jean and Rogue eating in the kitchen. A few seconds later, Hank, Scott, Warren and the professor showed up and they found themselves in the middle of an impromptu welcome home party. Resigning themselves to it, they simply joined the others and spent the next couple of hours reconnecting with the other members of the mansion.

It was nearly midnight before the party broke up and everyone began drifting off to go to bed. However, Logan and Remy did make plans with Scott to meet the following day and go over strategy to keep Forge at bay. And with that decided, Logan feigned exhaustion and dragged Ororo away from the table and up to her quiet room.

Once there, Logan lay on the bed, waiting for Ororo to finish her nightly ritual before she joined him.

"I take it from your expression, it did not go well." Her voice echoed from the bathroom as finished brushing her teeth and stepped out into the room.

He shook his head, his hands tucked behind his head as he lounged on the bed. "No, it went 'bout like I expected. Though I might have tipped our hand."

She walked over to the bed and sat down on it, facing him. "He saw through it?"

Logan shook his head, letting his hand drop down to grab one of her own. "Not exactly." He spent the next few minutes telling her what happened.

As he finished, she stood, rolling her eyes and walked to the door to check one last time that they had locked it. "I agree with Scott on this one Logan, you lack subtly." She came back towards the bed, her nightshirt barely covering her to mid thigh.

Logan watched the view of her walking back to him and growled in appreciation. "How the hell was I supposed ta be subtle? He's gunning fer my woman."

She sat on the bed again as he turned to her, an incredulous look on her face. "Your woman?"

He reached out to grab her hand again, ignoring her offended tone. "Yeah, or did ya forget that conversation we had on New Year's Eve in that damned club?" He kissed her hand, holding it against his chest, forcing her to move closer.

She came willingly, fitting herself against him, never taking her eyes from his. "No I have not forgotten. Do you want to know the one thing I really liked about that conversation?"

He grinned as she moved against him. "What's that?"

"How it ended."

Her passion filled whisper reached his ears and sparked his already smoldering libido. He reached up to pull her more firmly against him, smiling as he did so. "As I recall there was a bunch of kissin' and we ended up in bed together. Is that how yer expectin' tonight ta end?"

She smiled, her eyes sparkling with passion. "How perceptive of you Logan. Are you sure you are not a telepath?"

He chuckled as his hands began a lazy exploration. "Darlin', I don't need to be a telepath fer that. I can hear yer heart beatin' and smell yer heat from across the room." He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. "How's 'bout we see if we can make it rain?"

She chuckled, rubbing her nose against his as the excitement built between them. "I really should not encourage you." She touched her lips gently to his as his hands began moving higher.

He pulled back slightly, pulling the nightshirt up with him as he went, watching as the flush of arousal began to wash over her. He could hear her heartbeat speed up as well and feel the heat coming off of her in waves. He reached out to touch her again, watching her shudder at the sensation. "No, you shouldn't. But since yer willin', forget the rain. Let's make it snow!" Her laughter rang in his ears as he let their lips meet once more, sending them both off into oblivion.


	31. Cat's Out of the Bag

The next day, early in the morning, long before many of the residents of the mansion were up, Logan, Scott and Remy met in the game room to discuss just what should be done about Forge.

Logan racked up the balls for a game of pool, his mind needing something to distract him from the rage he was still feeling over Forge's arrival. "I still say ya let me talk ta him alone fer five minutes. If he still wants ta chase 'Ro after that, well the man's a lot dumber than we thought and there ain't no help for him." He took his shot, the cue ball breaking against the racked balls with a great snap of force.

Scott snorted as he watched Logan play. "Look, we tried it your way the last time and all it did was piss him off and get his guard up. I say let's try for subtly again."

Logan laughed sarcastically as he bent to line up another shot. "And do what to him Scooter? Send him a threatenin' message in the locker room usin' the mirror and some lipstick?"

Scott's face reddened as he came around the table, jabbing an accusing finger into Logan's chest. "You had your chance jackass and you blew it. This time, you don't get to vote."

Logan gave the taller man a shove, stepping forward as Scott's clenched hands rose in defense. He growled, the sound low and grating in the silence of the room as the beast awoke inside of him.

"Dat is about enough." Remy's calm voice broke through the two men's anger and they stepped back from each other. "Dis is not getting us anywhere. It does not matter who is to blame for last night. We must concentrate on dis moment and find a way to drive Forge off."

Logan snorted as he again turned his attention back to the pool table. Inside, he felt his beast pacing but it stayed quiet and watchful. "Yeah, and how do ya suggest we do that?" Remy smiled at him, a harsh leer spreading across his face. Something in the expression caught Logan's interest and he stood up giving Remy his full attention.

"Remy has an idea." He spent the next several minutes explaining in detail what he had thought of to do. When he finished speaking, both Logan and Scott mulled it over.

"It's kind of petty." Scott said with uncertainty.

Logan nodded. "Childish even."

"Not to mention that it'll really piss off Jean and Ororo if they find out."

Logan sneered at the thought. "Only cause we didn't let them help."

Scott nodded. "I think I like it, let's get started."

After the meeting between the three of them strange incidents began occurring around the mansion and nearly all of them seemed to be happening to their unwelcome guest. It began innocently enough. Things began malfunctioning around Forge. The morning after he took the men out to dinner, he walked into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, only to discover the coffee maker would not work and nothing the genetic genius could think of would make it work.

Undeterred, he simply made a pot on the stove. But the strange mishaps didn't stop there. After making his coffee, he turned his attention to making himself breakfast, only to have the toaster begin smoking and catch on fire, burning his English muffin to a charred crisp in an instant. The smoke from the toaster set the fire alarm off and the sprinklers roared to life, soaking only one room in the entire house, the kitchen where Forge stood.

The rest of his day quickly went downhill from there. The elevator doors malfunctioned, closing on him as he tried to enter or leave. And when he finally arrived at his desired floor, the doors parted and he discovered that the lift was stuck between floors. He had to push the button several times before the damned thing would line up properly and allow him to get out.

It also seemed that every electronic device he touched went haywire, starting with his cell phone. The device would simply beep once and shut off whenever he tried to make or answer a call. Worse yet was when he attempted to access the danger room computers, at the request of the Professor, to create some new scenarios to train the X-men. They logged him out three separate times. And when he tried to get on one last time, he was threatened by the mansion's security system to cease and desist before he was electrocuted where he stood.

By the end of the day, Forge was more than frazzled and even a bit ticked about everything that went wrong. He was so distracted by his troubles that he failed to notice just how certain residents seemed to be reacting to his misfortune. If he had, he most likely would have wondered just why Scott, Remy and Logan chuckled slightly whenever they saw him.

Ororo for the most part avoided Forge as if he were carrying some kind of contagion. If she saw him walking down the hall towards her, she simply found another route through the house. If she were unable to do that, she would simply enter the nearest room and wait several moments for him to pass her by.

He tried several times to initiate a conversation with her but she either ignored him or glared at him until he simply stopped speaking. She had no desire to even be civil to the man. But he did not seem to be getting the hint. No matter what she did or did not do, he kept trying. It was beginning to wear on Ororo's nerves and her normally flawless control began slipping.

To make matters worse, she and Logan remained wary of touching each other or appearing too intimate during the day. She still had no desire to share her new life with the man who had walked out on her. In her mind, he had little or no business knowing what went on in her life or who she chose to spend it with. But it was beginning to be a difficult thing to hide.

Before Forge's arrival, the two of them were quite affectionate with each other. Even during the school year, once the news of their relationship had flown around the student gossip mill, they were often seen walking in the halls close together. Some students had even come upon them kissing or hugging in the hallway. They were discreet, mindful that there were children around, but they did not try to hide what they were doing.

Once the school year had ended, little had changed in that regard. Only now, they were more apt to be walking down the hall hand in hand or simply with their arms draped around each other. They were still conservative but affectionate. Forge's arrival had changed their carefree attitude.

And Ororo was discovering just how much she had come to rely on the causal touches she and Logan shared throughout the day. She never realized just how much she needed the feel of his hand, upon her cheek, her shoulder or somewhere else equally innocent until she was forced to go without it. Being the sensual creature that she was, it was beginning to fray her already raw nerves. And her mood began to deteriorate quickly.

Logan remained supportive but even he was growing concerned at the tension he could see in his lover. She was quiet, withdrawn and seemed to have a hair trigger temper. Only a few days had passed since Forge's reappearance but Logan knew that something had to be done and soon. Forge and all the memories she associated with him were pushing her to the breaking point.

Logan decided that it might be a good time to find her and talk her into locking themselves in their room where he would spend the day pampering her. Maybe even give her a full body massage, anything to help ease the stress he knew she was feeling.

He was surprised to find her already in their room, lying across there bed, her eyes closed as she massaged her temples, her pain obvious. He stepped into the room and took over the task, his hands falling down to her shoulders, surprised to find the muscles there nearly as hard as rocks.

"Darlin', what's got ya so tense?" He urged her to roll over onto her stomach and began kneading her shoulders with sure deep strokes of his hands.

Ororo gave a groan as she felt the tension leaving her. "Forge."

Logan grunted having expected the answer. "That dumb ass been botherin' ya again?"

Ororo nodded, forcing herself to lie still. "He is driving me insane. Every time I turn around, I find him there, watching me. It is as if he has nothing better to do than stalk me."

"Do ya want me ta talk ta him?"

She sighed. "No, I do not think it will help. I am just frustrated; especially since I find that I must control myself whenever you are around. I never before realized how much I crave your touch during the day." She reached up and touched his hands, drawing him down to lie on the bed beside her.

He sprawled out next to her, their bodies touching from shoulder to hip as he touched her face gently. "Yeah, I've been missin' it too darlin'."

She leaned into his hand, her hands melding themselves to his chest. "Touching you at night is no where near enough; no matter how enjoyable it might be."

He kissed her gently, feeling her hands slide across his body as she moved closer, leaning into his touch and his lips. "I promise ya darlin' that it'll be over soon. And we can back ta business as usual." He grinned at her, wagging her eyebrows as he said. "And you can cop as many feels durin' the day as ya want."

She slapped his chest lightly, her tone indignant. "I do not grope you." The statement was ruined however when she could not keep from grinning.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "So ya mean ta tell me that the pinchin' sensation ta my ass I keep feelin' is my imagination?"

She laughed. "I really have no idea what you are talking about Logan. And in any event, I seem to recall a pair of hands cupping my derriere quite recently in fact. Do you mean to tell me that was not you?"

He gave her a leer, his hands sliding down to once again grip said body part. "Nope, that most definitely was me. I couldn't resist. Yer too temptin' a target." He gave the object of his affection a squeeze as she laughed.

"Likewise." She leaned down and their lips met again. This time they spent several moments in gentle exploration before pulling apart to catch their breath.

"So darlin', now that I've got ya all wound up again, what do ya say ta a day of stayin' in bed and bein' lazy."

She smiled at his hopeful tone. "There is nothing in this world that I would rather do. However, you and I have a pressing appointment."

He groaned as she gave him another peck on the lips and pulled away, getting off the bed. "What the hell could that possibly be?" He watched her as she walked away from the bed, stripping as she went. He eyed the exposed skin appreciatively.

"Charles wishes for us to test the upgrades to the danger room." She reached into her closet and began pulling on some lighter clothes to work out in.

"He wants us ta do that today?" He stood, annoyed as he watched her dress and her lovely body began to disappear beneath clothing once more.

"Yes, love. I promised him that you and I would get to it today. I do not know why he asked but he made it clear that this was something important he needed to have done. I am sorry that we will not be able to spend today as you might have hoped." She stepped closer to him, draping her arms around his shoulders as his hands gripped her hips, pulling her closer.

"It's all right darlin'. Let's get this over with. I've got a lot of other stuff I want ta get ta today." He leaned forward, giving her a quick nip on the neck as she laughed.

"Last one down there rubs the winners back?"

Logan nodded and in a flash they were out the door, racing down the hallway and flying down the stairs, both lost in the childish moment. As Ororo rocketed past him, he reached out, grabbing at her but she slipped through his fingers. "No fair flyin' darlin'."

She turned, hovering over the landing as she egged him on. "Like you will not leap down the next couple of flights of stairs. Catch me if you can Logan." And she was off like a shot again.

He grinned and followed her.

While Ororo and Logan were cavorting around the upper levels of the mansion like a couple of children on a sugar rush, Scott was heading downstairs to the danger room himself. He knew that Ororo and Logan were going to be testing out the upgrades that he and Logan installed a while back, throwing a few new scenarios and such at them and he wanted to be sure that everything was ready for them.

Just then, as he rounded a corner, he ran into the older man. He waved, only slowing down slightly as he did so. He was not in any hurry, not really. He just did not want to stop and talk to the other man. Largely because he was afraid that somehow he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face around the gifted mutant after what he and his two cohorts had done to him the day before.

"Hey Forge."

Forge stopped walking, turning his full attention to Scott. "Good afternoon Scott. Where're you headed?"

Scott stopped walking, jabbing his thumb in the general direction of the lower levels of the mansion. "I'm going down to the danger room. The professor mentioned something about Logan and Ororo testing out some upgrades we did a while back. I want to make sure everything's set up for them." He turned to walk away again, hoping that Forge had other things he'd rather be doing at the moment. His hopes were dashed when he heard Forge start walking again, following him closely.

Forge came abreast of him, matching his stride. "Sounds like fun. Do you mind if I join you? I'd like to see if Ororo's improved at all since I saw her last."

Scott winced slightly but when he hid it well with a large smile as he turned to meet Forge's strangely earnest gaze. "No, come on down. The more the merrier." He turned away again and headed on down to the lower levels of the mansion, wondering just how he'd been cornered into including the guy. And even worse, just how he was going to keep from busting a gut laughing at him every time he looked at him.

Down in the danger room, Logan and Ororo were just beginning a new sim that he'd created a few days ago. The steel and concrete walls of the holographic room had been replaced with beautifully rendered Amazon jungle, complete with calling macaws and screaming spider monkeys in the background. He'd even made the air slick and humid, the oppressing warmth quickly soaking them both in a light sheen of sweat.

When Logan took the time to create a simulation for the team, he went all out; often including such minor and mundane details as ambient noise and other distractions they might expect to encounter in the given situation. It had proved to be a very valuable training tactic for everyone and it often took a great deal to surprise any of the veteran team members any longer.

Logan had written this simulation to be a simple cat and mouse game, with the X-men as the targets. He was using the stats and holographic images of several known hostile mutants as opponents. The program called for them to hide in the jungle until he and Ororo were in range, then they would attack in ambush. So far, they had yet to encounter any of their simulated opponents.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Forge and Scott arrived at the door of the danger room and Scott turned to head up to the control room to watch what was going on. But Forge didn't follow. Instead he stood at the door and keyed in the sequence to open the door.

Slightly alarmed, Scott spoke up. "Forge, they've got a sim running." He indicated the red light that told the room was active and occupied.

Forge shrugged. "I just want to see how realistic the program is. Can't tell that from the control room. And I could really use the workout." He waved his hand at the screen nearby. It showed Logan and Ororo's vitals and indicated their relative position in the room. "Besides, it doesn't seem like they've started yet, they're just standing there."

Scott hesitated but then shrugged, realizing that's Forge's stupidity was no business of his own. "Well, be careful. I'm going up to see what Logan is running."

Forge nodded absentmindedly as his code was accepted and the door opened. He stepped inside and the door shut firmly behind him.

Inside the sim, Logan and Ororo were standing back to back, looking out into the thick jungle, searching for signs of their opponents. Logan touched her hand, pointing to his eyes and then making several hand gestures, indicating he wanted her to stay grounded while he took to the trees.

She nodded silently and they both began moving deeper into the jungle maze, senses on high alert and their reactions on hair triggers as they tried to anticipate the first attack. When it came, it was fast and savage. One moment, Ororo was walking along the forest floor and the next, she was falling to the ground beneath a bundle of savage fury that turned out to be Sabretooth.

Logan saw the ambush from the trees and without thought, launched himself at the mutant's vulnerable back. He landed with a solid thud, feeling the impact jar them both as Ororo struggled to get some leverage beneath them. He wrapped his powerful arms around Sabretooth's neck in a modified choke hold, trying to pull the feral mutant off Ororo and give her a chance to get away.

"Logan, get clear."

Her snarl and a brief glimpse of her face, her eyes brilliant glowing white against the darkness of her skin, were enough to convince him that she would be fine. He braced himself and let go, leaping away in the same instant. In the next instant, Sabretooth convulsed as he was struck by a massive jolt of electricity.

The feral mutant shuddered as Ororo rolled free and stood, her hands hanging free by her sides. Sabretooth recovered quickly and howling in rage launched himself at Ororo once more. She stood there for a mere second, a strange smile on her face as she brought her hands up and Logan heard the shaarp snap of her newly developed air whip.

It slashed Sabretooth, knocking him back several steps. But he simply came at her again. She slashed him again, driving him back once more. Then Logan was on him, claws slashing, teeth bared in a feral grin as he tackled the taller mutant, driving him to the ground.

What happened next was a series of events that no one, not even Logan with his convoluted ability to foresee even the strangest of scenarios, could have anticipated. With a surge of strength and an animalistic growl, Sabretooth threw Logan off and plunged into the foliage, for the moment completely hidden by the dense undergrowth of the simulated jungle.

Logan and Ororo turned in circles, covering each others backs as Logan used all his heightened senses to track their opponent. He stayed silent, communicating the enemy's position with simple hand gestures. Then, trying to flush their prey out once more, Logan disappeared into the underbrush.

Ororo stood alone in the slight clearing, her senses straining as she circled slowly, the adrenaline pumping in her veins as her heart beat a steady, high speed staccato in her chest. There was a slight rustle of the foliage off to her left and she whirled, just in time to see Sabretooth leaping at her once more, glittering rage shining from his eyes.

She tensed, already launching her assault when Logan appeared out of nowhere, tackling the holographic opponent and knocking him away from her attack. Unable to pull back on the air whip, she watched as it narrowly missed Logan and Sabretooth both and went crashing into the jungle beyond. Given her startled response, it had a great deal more power behind it then she had anticipated and it slammed into the jungle, causing several trees to fragment and shatter into a cloud of splintered wood, which began raining down into the clearing.

Ororo covered her head, waiting for the dust to settle, trying to still her heart when she heard Logan yell out to her. "Storm!"

She heard the brush rustle behind her loudly. Thinking they were being ambushed once more, Ororo whirled and attacked, even as her brain screamed a warning against it, her instincts telling her it was not an enemy. She ignored the mental urging and her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Forge take the hit and fall to his knees, a sharp cry drawn from his lips. She felt Logan come up next to her cursing loudly as he looked down at Forge who lay unconscious at their feet.

"Dammit, what's he doin' in here?" He reached down to check Forge for a pulse as the holograms around them shimmered and disappeared. He looked up to see Scott standing in the control room, his face enraged.

His voice came over the speaker system, his words clipped and angry. "What the hell happened?"

Ororo ignored his question, crossing her arms over her chest. "What in Goddess's name is he doing in here during an active sim Scott?"

Scott sighed. "He wanted to see how realistic the damn thing was. He said you guys hadn't started yet. Apparently he was wrong." Scott paused as Hank came through the danger room doors with some instruments and a gurney to take their guest to the med lab.

Logan reached out to Ororo, running his hand over her arm in a soothing gesture before turning to help Hank with Forge. As they settled the stunned man on the gurney, Ororo brushed past them.

"I am going to speak with the Professor."

Logan nodded, an unspoken message passing between them. Then she was gone.

Ororo hoped to escape into the lift before Scott could get out of the control room. But that hope was dashed when his voice snapped at her when she was reaching out to press the button to open the doors.

"Storm."

She sighed slightly and ignored him, punching the button gently. She heard him stomping up to her, reaching her just as the lift doors opened. She proceeded to step into them, only to have Scott reach out and grab her arm, stopping her.

He whirled her around to face him, his face a mask of controlled anger as he stared at her. "What the hell was that?"

Ororo shrugged him off roughly. "A simulation gone wrong I would guess. Even you should have been able to see that." She turned away from him again, her arm reaching out to open the doors again.

He reached out, grabbing her hand, forcing her to stop. "Don't play stupid with me Storm, you're too well trained to do this kind of thing. I saw you on the cameras. I know you recognized him. I saw it on your face."

He dropped her arm and her shoulders slumped. She stood there in silence, knowing deep in her heart, he was right. Some part of her had recognized him and screamed out for her to stop. But she squashed the impulse, buried it with a distorted sense of glee as she went against her training and attacked an unknown target. More specifically a target that she knew very well and had been doing nothing more than filling her with blind rage for the past few days.

She reached out to punch the button once more, gazing at the empty lift as the doors opened almost silently. "I do not understand why you should care, it is not as if you truly care about the man. Or am I wrong in that assessment?"

Scott's face twisted in a grimace, as if the man had swallowed something unpleasant. "I don't give a damn about Forge, I'd fry the jackass myself if I could. My only concern is you. I know his being here hasn't been easy for you; we can all see how stressed you are." He stepped closer the anger leaving his voice as he spoke again. "Say the word Ororo and he's gone. Nothing he has to tell us is worth what this is doing to you."

His gentle words were her undoing and she could feel unshed tears burning in her eyes as she fought for control. Ororo walked into the lift, turning to face him, her face drawn and pale. "I am going to talk to the Professor. Please let me know how he is." She reached out and pushed the button to close the doors as Scott stood there, shaking his head.

"Scott is over reacting." Ororo stood in Xavier's office, looking out the window, frowning as the sunny sky grew hazy and dark. She was having such a difficult time controlling her anger. Her suddenly turbulent emotions were slipping past her barriers and affecting everything around her. She had no idea how it had happened so quickly. And even worse, she had no idea how to keep it from getting worse or even stop it.

Xavier sat behind her, his hands folded neatly in his lap, a cup of tea steaming near his elbow. "Scott is simply worried. This seeming lack of focus is not normal for you. If that is indeed what this is."

She reached out and with a great deal of effort, reined in her emotions and allowed the sky outside to clear. "I do not know what you mean." Ororo turned from the window.

"You cannot bluff your way out of this with me Ororo. I have the house advantage." His gentle voice was her undoing.

She stomped to a nearby chair and nearly collapsed into it, resting her head in her hands as she gave a loud sigh. For several moments there was silence in the room as she gathered her thoughts, hoping she could not only begin to understand why she felt as she did, but convey just what she was feeling to Charles. "I do not trust him Charles."

Charles nodded, pleased at her admission. "Given the pain he has caused you, I would be very surprised if you did."

Ororo sighed again, looking at her hands as she confessed an even darker truth. "And worst of all, I do not trust myself."

This seemed to take the older man by surprise and he wheeled himself closer. "Oh?"

Ororo reached out and took his hand in her own, feeling him give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know, deep down in my heart that I am not that young woman he hurt so many years ago. I am stronger now, more sure of myself and in love with someone who accepts me for everything I am. And yet, the mere thought of Forge being back in my life fills me with such rage that I find myself wanting to lash out at him. I want to hurt him like he hurt me and I am scared by that."

Charles reached out and took her other hand in his own, forcing her to meet his eyes as he squeezed them both firmly. "Ororo, the anger you feel has been buried for a very long time. It is only natural that you would feel the need to release it given his return. Your desire to inflict pain upon him is perfectly a understandable and normal reaction." He gave her a wry smile as he continued. "Although I am not sure that injuring him during a simulation is exactly the way to go about it."

Despite the gravity of her emotions and the situation, she chuckled. "No, that was not one of my more intelligent decisions." She dropped his hands and stood, beginning to pace as she felt her frustration building once more. "But the man is driving me insane. He has been pestering me, following me since the moment he walked through the door. And to make matters worse, Logan and I have been forced to restrain ourselves around him." She found herself once more in front of the window and stopped to gaze outside as she tried to calm down. "I have been feeling a great deal of anger building in me for the past few days now. And I just could not seem to help myself any longer; when I realized that he was standing behind me, all I could see was a haze of red and I reacted. Thankfully he was not gravely injured."

Xavier nodded. "I think I am beginning to understand now."

Ororo smiled slightly as she turned her attention from the window. "I figured you would."

"You see, most people who find happiness after such painful break-ups inflict pain upon their former loved ones in a number of ways. They often go to great lengths to prove their happiness to a former loved one. Rather blatant public displays of affection are not uncommon and most are very open about the fact that they have found someone else, someone who completes them in way the previous relationship could not."

Ororo nodded. "That is why you were surprised when I did not tell Forge that Logan and I were dating."

"To say the least."

Ororo was quiet for a long time as she thought on just why she wanted to keep quiet about her newfound happiness with Logan. "That first night he was back, I was just so very angry, I could not think. I said my piece and I left. Afterwards, I told myself that he did not have the right to know, that he should be left to wonder. Perhaps if I had not been so secretive, the annoyance the truth would have caused him might have been worth it."

"And now, that you've had time to think on it do you still feel that way?"

She shook her head realizing that she suddenly felt like hurting him in a much more emotional way. "No, I do not. Now, I think it is time to rub his nose in it a little."

Ororo breezed through the med lab doors moments after finishing her talk with the professor. Logan, who was sitting in the room waiting for Forge to come to, stood up and walked over to her.

He shot a quick glance at Forge to be sure he was still asleep before pulling Ororo into his arms. "Ya okay darlin'?"

She smiled as she simply melted against him, murmuring into his shoulder. "I am now, love." She pulled back slightly, feeling his hands running soothing patterns on her back. She reached out and stroked his chest, leaning into his touch as she felt the bond they shared surround her with love and affection. Taking a deep breath, she pulled away from him and approached the bed. "How is he?"

Logan shrugged slightly as he joined her at Forge's bedside. "Hank says he'll be fine, he just took a hellava jolt. Probably won't be lucky enough fer the bastard to wake up with a headache though."

Ororo chuckled even as she admonished her lover. "Keep it up and I can guarantee a repeat performance for you in the near future."

He smirked at her slightly. "Damn woman ya fight dirty. Do ya have any idea just how much it hurts?"

She chuckled again, arching a single brow at him. "Thanks to my mutant gift I may never know. I seem to be unaffected by large doses of electricity. You however, given your metal laced bones, are most likely a superb conductor."

Anything Logan might have said to that was cut short when Forge began to stir. Logan reached out to press the com button and call in Hank who was waiting in his nearby lab for their guest to come to.

Ororo leaned over the bed, touching Forge's arm. "Forge, can you hear me? How are you feeling?"

His eyes focused as he came awake. Realizing just who was touching him, he jerked his arm free, his face sullen and angry. "I'm fine, no thanks to you."

"Like she's the one that dragged ya into the danger room when a sim was active. And here I thought ya were a genius." Logan sneered from his spot at Ororo's side.

"Oh, and I suppose that wasn't you I heard yelling at Storm just before I came into the clearing." Forge sneered at the shorter man from his bed.

Logan's hands tightened on the bed railings, his knuckles turning white as Forge's jab hit home. "I was tryin' to warn her that ya were there. I was tryin' ta save yer ass tin man!" He jabbed a finger at the supine man.

Ororo reached out touching his arm gently. "Logan, would you please give us a moment alone?" Her tone was gentle but firm.

Logan gazed at for several long seconds and simply nodded before silently leaving.

After he had gone, Ororo stood at Forge's bedside, staring at him in silence for several moments. "I think it is time we cleared the air between us." She reached out and pulled a chair up to his bed, sitting down in it as she collected her thoughts. "I have not been completely honest with you about my life and I think that if you knew the truth, it might relieve some of the tension between us."

"I'm listening."

Ororo folded her hands together, studying them for a moment before continuing. "I have always considered myself a rational human being. I do not like to get angry, I lose control when I am angry and it frightens me." She took a deep breath, lifting her eyes to meet his, her anger and frustration make them glitter fiercely. "But you could push a saint to violence and I am feeling a great deal less than friendly towards you. In fact I would be very hard pressed to even find you anything but antagonistic and spiteful right at the moment." Her tone was hard and cutting.

"Ororo…" He began in a placating tone.

She cut him off with a wave of her elegant hand. "You have been stalking me, smothering me with your very presence. I have not been able to turn a corner of this mansion without finding you there and it is driving me insane." Again she paused for another calming breath before going on. "What happened today happened because you were foolish and I was angry. I did not intend to hurt you, you must believe that. I simply snapped."

Forge sighed, reaching out to take her hand. "I only wanted to talk to you but you've been avoiding me. I had hoped that if you gave me a chance, I could explain some things and perhaps…" he let the statement trail off.

"Perhaps what? You thought we might reconcile?" He nodded. Angered once more, she pulled her hand free from his. "I want to be very clear when I say this Forge. I no longer love you. At least I no longer love what you used to be to me and I have no wish to return to that part of my life."

"Were you that unhappy with me?"

Ororo sighed again. "No, I was not. But your leaving did more to undermine my self confidence than I could ever imagine. I found myself second guessing everything and everyone around me." She stood, pacing at the end of his bed as she though back to that period of her life. "I closed myself off from everyone to an even greater degree than I had before, not understanding how anyone else could love me if you did not love me enough to stay. I could not understand how you could claim to love me and then simply walk out as if those words meant nothing more to you than the breath you used to utter them."

She stopped pacing and faced him, her eyes hard and accusing as she spoke. "For a very long time I thought that there was something wrong with me. After you left, it took me a long time to understand just what it was about me that you loved. A short time ago, I did some reflecting and I began to understand something very important about our relationship. You did not love me."

"You're wrong. I did love you, very much; I still do."

Ororo smiled slightly but it was a patronizing gesture. "And I know that you sincerely believe that but there is something fundamentally flawed in your perception of my true self. You saw me as an object, something to be idolized, personified as a goddess and worshipped. You loved my image, the veneer I presented to the world to protect myself and those around me. You did not love _me_, you did not love the woman that I am." She paused for a moment, hesitating for only a split second before she revealed the truth she had been hiding since his return. "But Logan does."

"Logan?" Forge repeated, uncertain at what he heard.

Ororo nodded. "Yes, Logan."

There was stunned silence for several long moments as he mulled over what she said and what it meant. "You and he are…"

Again she nodded, a small smile lighting her face. "Yes."

"Logan." He seemed to be having a hard time wrapping his mind around the concept, his face puzzled as he sat there. "I never would have guessed that. He just really doesn't seem your…"

Ororo cut him off, a dangerous glint in her eye, her voice hardening as she spoke. "Forge, I strongly urge you not to finish that sentence, not if you wish to continue breathing. In any event, I do believe that any opinion you might have had in regards to my life and who I share it with ended the night you left."

They stood there in uneasy silence both lost in their own thoughts over the revelation. After a moment Forge broke it. "So are you sleeping with him?"

Ororo crossed her arms over her chest, her first impulse being to ignore the question. "Not that it is any of your business, but yes we are sleeping together." A wry smile lit her face as she took one last emotional dig at him. "He is the best lover I have ever had."

Forge did not appear to hear the last statement as he ignored it completely. "What are you thinking Ororo? He's not good enough for you. If you're not careful he'll drop you like yesterday's garbage and walk away without a thought or concern over how you feel."

"Just as you did?" She smiled at the stunned look on Forge's face at her cutting remark. In the next instant the smile disappeared from her face as she continued. "For your information we are not simply sleeping together, we are in a relationship. We have been dating for nearly a year, are currently sharing the same room and it is very serious between us."

Again Forge was silence for a long while before finding his voice again. "Does he love you?"

"More than you can possibly imagine; far more than you ever did."

He did not appear convinced. "Has he told you that?"

"Yes, he has on more than one occasion."

"Do you love him?"

"With all my heart."

"How can you possibly love him? He can't possibly appreciate the treasure that you are."

His tone sickened her and pushed her to rub his nose even further in her happiness. "But he does Forge; he just does it differently then you. To him I am so much more than what the world sees. Underneath the façade I have created, I am simply a woman, more importantly I am _his_ woman. And I would not have it any other way. He helped me to rediscover the flesh and blood person underneath my rigid control and to love her once more. In truth, he saved me from myself; you cannot say the same."

"Yes, but is he willing to marry you?" His tone was snide and cutting.

Ororo fought the urge to laugh at his words. If that was his ace in the hole, the man was in for more serious trouble than she originally thought. "What do I care for marriage? My first brush with it was less than pleasant. In any event, I do not think you have any right to know that. I think you all ready know far more than I ever wanted you to."

"Then why tell me any of it?"

She stood next to his bed, looking firmly into his eyes as she pressed her point. "Because I want you to back off and the truth is the only way I can think of to get you to do that." She leaned closer, their faces only inches apart as she continued. "I want to pretend that the only reason you came back here is for the reason you claim and ignore what else might have brought you here." She straightened, her eyes never leaving his. "I do not hate you Forge, I never have. But if you continue pushing me and those I love, I will learn to hate you. Do not make me hate you." She turned to leave when his next words stopped her.

"I would have married you Ororo. I really wanted to marry you."

She didn't turn but merely threw her parting words over her shoulder. "Funny how that offer came at a price I was unwilling to pay." Then she walked out.


	32. The Plot Thichkens

Logan tries to get things back to normal for Ororo with some pampering and some TLC. But a recap of Ororo's conversation with Forge prompts some soul searching. Which is interrupted by a drunken phone call from Forge at a nearby bar.

* * *

Logan stood outside the med lab, pacing and seething as he waited for Ororo to finish speaking with Forge. He moved like a caged animal, back and forth, back and forth in front of the closed doors to the med lab trying to hold onto the remnants of his quickly shredding temper. And with every edgy step, he fought every urge he had not to simply walk in the room and pummel the man lying in the hospital bed.

He took two steps towards the doors, his hands clenched at his side, the muscles in his arms clenching, awaiting the final command from his brain to raise and push through the door when he was stopped by a soothing cultured voice coming from behind him.

"Our esteemed colleague has finally awakened."

Logan turned, the red haze of his anger fading as he watched the blue-haired mutant walk up to him with surprising grace and light-footedness given his large size. He gave Hank a wry grin as he stepped in front of the larger man. "Yeah, he did. But Ororo is talkin' ta him. She need's a minute."

Hank nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see. How long has our weather witch been alone with him?"

Logan sighed while rubbing his face roughly with one hand. The tension was leaving him, but it was far from gone. "Almost twenty minutes." He reached up and began rubbing his neck trying to relieve some of the cramping he could feel building in the thick muscles there.

"Matters of the heart, no matter how ancient and seemingly resolved can be surprisingly virulent and long lasting to those they involve." Hank stepped closer, clapping a meaty, furry hand on the smaller man's shoulder. "Perhaps you would wish to pass the time imbibing some rather well-aged brandy." He drew Logan away from the double doors of the med lab, and towards his own private lab.

Logan let out a deep breath and nodded. "Sounds like a good idea Blue. Lead the way."

* * *

Just a few moments later, Ororo emerged from the med lab. She looked around for Logan, hoping to find him nearby, waiting for her to emerge. But the hallway was empty. She frowned slightly as she pondered where he might have gone. 

Perhaps he was upstairs smoking a cigar in the peaceful silence of the gardens. Or perhaps he was in the garage emptying his frustrations out on some hapless piece machinery that had the audacity to malfunction. The latter thought drew a smile to her face as she decided to go find him. But before she wandered back upstairs, she would go tell Hank that Forge was awake and eager to be released from the med lab.

She heard their laughter as she stood outside the doors to Hank's private lab. She could not hear what they were saying but she recognized Logan's gravelly laughter and stood outside the door, smiling as she listened to it. After a few minutes she reached out and opened the door, walking into the room to see Logan and Hank sharing a glass of Hank's bourbon.

Logan looked up as she entered, still laughing as he raised his glass slightly at her.

She walked over to him, embracing him warmly as his free hand found its way around her waist. "I wondered where you wandered off to."

He reached out, kissing her gently. "Hey darlin'."

She could smell the alcohol on his breath as he pulled back and looked at his glass. "I see that Hank has pulled out his special brandy. How are you feeling love?"

He smiled. "Better. Ya talk with Forge?"

"Yes, I did." She reached out and took the glass from him, tipping her head back and finishing it off in one large gulp. She then slapped the empty glass back into Logan's surprised hand. "When you are finished here, I would very much to take you up on your earlier offer of a day spent in decadent hedonistic behavior."

"Ya don't even have ta ask darlin'. I'm two steps behind ya." He handed the empty glass back to Hank who took it good naturedly. "Thanks for the brandy Hank."

"Yes Hank, thank you." She took Logan's hand in her own and began leading him towards the door. As they stopped at the door, she turned back to let Hank know about Forge. "I am sure that Forge is most likely chomping at the bit to be released. I know that he is not too happy with me at the moment."

Hank sighed loudly. "I shall endeavor to remedy the first, but I am unlikely to be able to help with the second."

Ororo chuckled and she and Logan walked out of the room, hand in hand.

* * *

Several hours later, long after dinner and darkness had fallen over the mansion, Logan and Ororo were in their room winding down from their relaxing day. Ororo was currently receiving a much needed massage from Logan.

"By the Goddess, I needed this. You are a god among men for the suggestion." She sighed loudly as he found a particularly tense spot and began kneading it firmly.

He chuckled at her words, his efficient hands making quick work of the knotted muscles in her shoulders and back. "I'll take that as a ringin' endorsement that yer enjoyin' yerself."

She gave a deep groan as he continued working. "Immensely. I had no idea just how badly I needed to be pampered until just this moment."

"Ya've been so tense lately, what with Forge bein' back. I figured that ya could use some, what'd ya call it? Decadent hedonistic behavior?" He ran his hands down her sides and began tracing lazy circles on her skin.

She chuckled, melting into his touch. "Your memory is very astute. Her eyes were closed as she enjoyed the massage for several minutes.

Logan finished, giving her a gentle kiss between the shoulder blades, chuckling at her delicate shiver before he lay down next to her.

She snuggled up to him, laying her head on his chest, her eyes still closed.

He stroked her back softly, enjoying the feeling of her breath against his neck as he pondered the day. He hated to bring it up, but he knew that they were going to have to talk about Forge.

After another moment, he broke the silence. "So how was yer talk with the tin man?"

She sighed, still relaxed against him. "To be honest, it went better than I expected." She spent the next few minutes telling him what was said between them.

After she finished speaking, Logan lay on the bed, silent and thinking, still absentmindedly rubbing Ororo's back. "So what do ya think 'bout what him?"

Ororo snorted, never shifting position or opening her eyes. "I think he is being an ass and I think he wanted nothing more than to upset me."

Logan snorted in return. "That's a given darlin'. I meant how do ya feel 'bout what he said to ya?"

Ororo lifted her head. "Logan, the entire exchange sincerely pissed me off. If you have a specific issue, you are going to have to be more specific."

Logan shrugged. "Well, he didn't seem too happy that it was me ya were in love with. Don't that bother you?"

She looked perplexed at his question. "Why should it? Does it bother you that I love you, or that you love me?"

Logan shook his head. "No, it's just…" he hesitated as the words deserted him.

"It is just what Logan?" She encouraged gently.

He cupped her cheek, his eyes full of love as he spoke. "I don't give a rat's ass what other people think of me, but I don't want other people lookin' down on ya just cause yer with me."

She was incredulous. "What on Goddess's green Earth would make you think that, much less say it?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. It just bothers me that he looks down on ya cause of who ya love, that's all."

She sat up her anger palpable. "I do not care what that small minded man thinks. His opinion means less to me than the dirt on my boots. If he wants to hate you because of our relationship that is his business and he will have to accept the consequences of those feelings." She turned to look at him, her eyes searching as he lay on their bed. "His being here really bothers you."

Logan stood, once again cupping her face in his hands. "Only cause he's hurtin' ya. And spoutin' off 'bout shit he ain't got no say in."

She touched his arm, holding his hands against her, meeting his intense gaze. "Like."

Unable to help himself, he dropped his hands and turned away from her. "Like marriage." He was suddenly afraid of what he might see in her eyes when he mentioned the topic.

"Logan, look at me." She laid her hand on his shoulder, her voice soft and compelling. "Please look at me." He turned to face her. She cupped his face in her hands and refused to let him move away. "I love you, you are my life. You give every moment of my life meaning; I do not need more than that. If you are happy with the way things are, then so am I. I do not need a ring to know what we are to each other. I do not need a ring to tell the world what we are to each other either. Do you?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't. We've just never discussed it before."

Her hands fell away and she sighed. "No we have not. But then again, I have never felt the need."

"No, I suppose ya haven't." Logan looked down at her feet. "Do ya want ta get married?"

She was silent for several moments, thinking. "I do not know. When I was younger, I pictured myself doing just that; finding a man to love me enough to offer me a place in his heart and his family." She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back down on the bed. "Now, it is different."

"How so?" He sat down next to her.

"I have a family of my own, I do not need a man to offer that to me."

"What about his heart darlin'?"

She smiled, reaching out to touch his chest. "I have yours. So you see, I do not need marriage. For all intents and purposes, I am married."

He nodded, unsure of just what to say to her words.

She stood once more, going to her dresser to grab a nightshirt. "I think we have done enough soul searching tonight. Forge's presence is causing a great deal more trouble than I expected. Let us go to bed. I am a great deal more tired than I thought."

He watched her dressed for bed, his mind still pondering.

* * *

Several hours later, long after she had fallen asleep, Logan lie awake thinking. His mind simply wouldn't let the matter rest. Like a rabid dog with a bone, it replayed both Forge's and Ororo's words over and over again. Finally, in disgust, he sighed loudly and got out of bed.

Ororo had not gotten a great deal of sleep in the past few days and he didn't want to disturb her if he could help it. He decided to take his mulling mind downstairs. Maybe a cigar and something to drink would help him bring the subject to a close in his mind.

He went to the kitchen and was surprised to discover Jimmy there, sitting quietly at the small table.

He pulled a soda out of the fridge and joined him. "Hey kid."

Jimmy gave a slight smile. "Hey Logan." He twirled his pop can in his hands. He'd obviously been nursing it for a while.

Logan opened his soda, the snap of the pop top was loud in the silent kitchen. "What's a matter, couldn't sleep?" He took a deep slug.

Jimmy shook his head. "No. Rogue came back." There was a slight smile on his face as he spoke.

"Yeah, she did. Ya look happy 'bout that."

"I am. I was so scared for her." He sobered a bit. "I was so scared that she wouldn't come back." He took a sip of his drink.

Logan nodded. "Me too kid, me too."

There was silence between them for a few moments, each suddenly lost in their own thoughts.

Jimmy broke it first. "Logan?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think Marie would mind if I thought of her like my sister?" The earnest tone in his voice made him suddenly seem much younger than his fifteen years.

Logan was puzzled. "How do ya mean?"

"Ororo and I talked about my family, about the possibility that I might never find them and it hurt, a lot."

Logan nodded. The possibility had occurred to him too. "There's a good chance that whoever took ya made sure no one could follow ya."

He nodded. "At first that bothered me but Ororo told me something that changed how I felt. She said that sometimes people we care about die, through no fault of our own. But if we're very lucky someone will come along to help fill the void their loss causes. And when that happens, a new family is created. Because families aren't made of just blood, they're made of love."

The words were very much like something Ororo would say. But they still surprised and touched Logan.

Jimmy went on. "I don't remember what she looked like, if she was younger or older or what her name was but I know I had a sister. It hurts that I don't know that stuff. But being around Marie makes it hurt less. I just thought maybe, I could treat her like a sister."

Logan pondered that for a moment, taking another slug of his soda. He thought of Marie, whose own family had disowned her after her gift surfaced and Jimmy, whose family was likely dead. And wondered, not for the first time just how lucky they were to find something and someone to replace what they'd lost.

He looked at Jimmy, waiting patiently for his answer. "Ya know, I think if ya told her that she won't mind at all."

Jimmy smiled, and Logan cuffed him affectionately on the shoulder before he was pulled back to his own maudlin thoughts about his earlier conversation with Ororo.

They had never talked about the future, never really discussed just where their relationship was going. He had never felt the need, simply living in the moment with her and relishing in the love he felt for her. But somewhere, deep in his heart, he knew that someday it wouldn't be enough for her. No matter what she said.

What would happen when that time came? What would she do if he never reached a point where he was ready to show his commitment to her? Would she leave him, walk away from what they had simply because he never thought beyond the present? The thought hit him with all the force of a runaway train. He felt it punch him in the gut, hard and low; felt his knees weakening at the thought of losing her simply because he couldn't give her what she might need.

The night he told her he loved her, he told her that he lost himself in her, every time they touched, every time they made love. It was a sentiment that was as true then as now. If the time ever came, could he simply let her walk away from what they had? Could he stand by while she found someone else and built a new life, apart from him? Were the memories they'd made in such a short time enough for him to live with the knowledge that she was someone else's?

He shook his head, knowing very well that she was his. There was no one else in the world for him and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, proving that. Forge coming back had scared him. At first because he feared that Ororo might still feel something for her first love. Then, as time went on, he became afraid that Ororo would start to hope for something he wasn't ready to give her. Forge coming back had pushed him into a corner. But it made him see what he really wanted: he wanted to marry her.

He took a deep breath, releasing it in a rush as he felt an unknown wave of tension simply drain from his body. He reached and gave Jimmy a friendly cuff on the back. "Thanks kid, ya just really helped me out."

Jimmy nodded dumbly, a puzzled look on his face just as Scott came bustling into the kitchen, a look of worry etched on his face.

When his eyes fell on Logan, a relieved look flowed over his face.

Logan's soda froze halfway to his mouth as Scott strode over to the table. "Jesus Scooter, what's Jeanie sendin' ya out fer this time, pickles and salami?"

"No, smart ass. I've got a problem and this time it's not with Jean."

Logan stood. "So what's got yer panties so twisted?"

"Forge just called me. Seems he's down at the pub and he's drunk off his ass. He needs someone to come down and get him."

Logan snorted, finishing his soda. "Have fun goin' ta get the tin man."

Scott leaned on the table, his jaw clenched. "Look, I need you to come with me. I might need a hand with him. He doesn't drink often, but when he does, he gets kind of nasty. I don't want him causing trouble downtown."

Logan sighed. "Fine. I'll go hold yer hand. But if he takes a swing at me, just one, I'm gonna take him down."

Scott stood up. "Don't worry, if he takes a swing at you, I'll take him down myself." He walked out to the garage.

* * *

They found the bar rather quickly and parked illegally nearby. They hurried towards the door, the loud music nearly blocking out the sounds of someone talking or shouting rather, just inside the door. 

Logan pushed open the door and bit back a grimace as the smells and sounds from the place hit him like a jackhammer. He walked further into the building his ears detecting the sounds of a loud and intense argument even over the blaring jukebox in the corner. He headed towards the voices, a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that Forge was in the middle of it.

Forge was at the center of the crowd, egging on a bunch of younger, only slightly drunk college students. Scott stepped forward, intent on stepping in and ending it but Logan stopped him.

"Let him go One Eye. We can grab him when he finishes this. He ain't in trouble yet."

Scott nodded and they sat at the end of the bar to wait.

One of the college students laughed at something Forge said. "You're drunk man. There ain't no way you can do it."

Forge snorted. "Fifty bucks says I can. Anyone want to try me?" His words were loud, but clear; he did not sound drunk.

The first one who'd spoken nodded his head. "Fine, but you take a shot of whiskey before each shot, wise ass."

Forge nodded. "Deal. Bartender, I need three shots of whisky." The bartender slapped them down after a few minutes and Forge stepped up.

Gulping his first shot of whiskey and slamming the glass back down on the bar. He turned, taking his dart in hand and sited along it carefully. He threw it and scored a perfect bullseye. The second shot followed as did the second dart. A second bullseye.

The third shot downed, Forge turned his attention to once again to aiming the final dart. He released it and the sound of it hitting the board could be heard through out the strangely silent bar.

One of the college kids stepped up to the board and turned smirking. "You lose, old man, cough up the dough."

Forge was livid. He reached out, wrapping his hands in the younger man's shirt. "Old man? Ya little piss ant, who do you think yer talkin' to?"

Logan swore softly as he and Scott jumped up from their seats and pushed their way through the crowd.

Scott reached the other man first. "It's about damned time we found you Forge. It's time to go home." He pulled Forge away from the young man.

The college student who'd made the bet stepped in Scott's path. "Hey, this jackass owes us fifty bucks. You ain't leavin' here until he pays up."

Clearly annoyed, Scott grabbed Forge's wallet out of his jacket pocket. He opened it, and threw the cash at the young man. He started dragging Forge away.

Forge struggled, shouting. "Get yer damn hands off me. I can't believe you paid those punks. They cheated." He stumbled just as Scott reached Logan. He looked up at Logan and reached out to steady himself against the bar. "Damn, I need another drink.

"Forge, you've had enough. Let's go back to the mansion before you piss these people off some more." Scott shoved him towards Logan and turned back to the bar. "Get him out of here Logan, I'll settle his tab."

Logan scowled, growling low in his throat as he grabbed Forge's arm. "Fine. But ya owe me one Cyke. I don't want ta be savin' his sorry ass." He started leading Forge to the door. "Come on Forge."

Forge noticed Logan for the first time and jerked free. "Logan, get yer damned hands off me."

Logan snarled, grabbing the man again. "Don't make me get rough Forge, cause right now, I'd enjoy it too much."

Forge's struggles increased. "I said get yer damned hands off me." He threw Logan off and with surprising speed for a drunk, punched Logan hard in the testicles.

Instantly enraged, Logan reacted without thinking, slamming Forge against the wall. He pinned the taller man there, unsheathing his claws and pressed them against Forge's neck. He held him there, panting as he fought against the red haze that colored his vision.

He could the beast inside of him surging against his control. Searching for weak spots, trying to take control so it could maim, kill and destroy. It screamed for Forge's blood, his body cooling at Logan's feet. But Logan fought it, and managed somehow, to grab hold of it and keep it from taking control.

The bar was still silent, everyone watching the show. "Fuckin' muties." Came from a Mumbled voice near the bar.

Forge stared at Logan, laughing drunkenly as he was held against the wall. "You think yer such hot shit, don't ya? Well come on, do it. Kill me, right now in front of all these witnesses. Go on, slit my throat, ya know ya wanna. That's all yer good at anyway so why not just add one more corpse to the body count, huh?"

Logan stood there, his jaw clenched tight, his arm locked against Forges throat. He kept pushing against the beast, his anger and rage fueling it as it fought him. But slowly, Logan managed to make ground and push it down, forcing it to calm, to sleep once more.

Forge either ignorant of the mental battle Logan was facing, or simply uncaring continued to taunt him "What's a matter, think yer too good now, just cause yer sleeping with her. Well I got news for ya pal, ya ain't good enough for her. Ya ain't nothin' but an animal, a killer. And I think they should have put ya down when they had the chance." His eyes were crazed as he threw the words at the smaller man.

Behind them Logan could sense the agitation of the slightly drunken crowd and it was rising. Cursing softly to himself he tried to calm the other man down before his heated words caused some idiot to get brave and start a fight.

He sheathed his claws and stepped away from the wall. "Shut up Forge, before I make ya sorrier than when Storm fried yer ass this afternoon." He released the other man, keeping a firm grip on his arm. Dragging him towards the door.

Forge snorted. "I knew it, yer a damned coward. Ya ain't got the guts."

Logan, still pissed and tired of listening to Forge, turned and slugged him, knocking him out. He watched, perversely pleased as he fell in a boneless heap at his feet. He looked at the others in the crowd as Scott wandered up, the tab settled.

He nudged Forge with his foot. "Fuckin' jackass."

Scott sighed as he looked at Forge's still form. "I know you can't stand him Logan, but did you really have to hit him, now we have to carry his sorry ass back to the car."

"He punched me in the nuts Scooter, ya'd a decked him to." They both reached down, taking an arm and dragging him from the room. "Hey, we could just leave his ass here and let 'em have him."

"Charles would never forgive us. And Jean would tan my hide later."

Logan gave a short bark of laughter as they reached the door. "Yer so damned whipped Scooter."

Scott snorted as they left the bar and made their way to the car. "Like you've got room to talk Mr. Munroe."

"Can it One Eye." Logan growled at him.

* * *

They got Forge back to the mansion without further incident or further comment. Scott called ahead and Hank was waiting in the garage for their arrival. Hank took Forge, ignominiously over his shoulder and took him down to the med lab to sleep it off. Scott and Logan then wandered off to bed themselves. 

The next day, the revelation of the night before still fresh and strong in his mind, Logan escaped the mansion and walked into the same jewelry store where he'd purchased Ororo's earrings and Scott had purchased Jean's ring.

Jean-Pierre was there and greeted him warmly. "Ah, _mosiuer _Logan. Eeett ezz so nice to see you. 'ow may I 'elp you today?"

Logan shook the jewelers hand and looked down into the case right in front of him. "I need a ring, Jean-Pierre. A very special ring."

A slight glitter shown in Jean-Pierre's eyes. "Ezz zis for someone special? _Madam _ Ororo per'aps?"

Logan nodded. "I wanna ask her ta marry me."

Jean-Pierre nodded once, suddenly all business and very serious. "Zen eet must be somezhing spectacular, no?"

Again Logan nodded. "Yeah." He felt a fluttering of anticipation hit him low in the gut as the truth of what he was about to do hit him.

"Zen let us begin."

In the end, after much good natured arguing, Logan settled on a platinum band with a setting for a single diamond. Logan had learned his lesson well at Christmas; gold just did not suit Ororo. But when it came to the stone, he was still learning.

The Frenchman acted as if Logan was threatening the life of his firstborn at the mere suggestion of a simple diamond. And he proceeded to harangue Logan for not making the ring unique enough for the woman he loved.

"No, no, no, eet simply will not do _mousier _ Logan. A diamond ezz ordinary, a diamond ezz cliché. It ezz not special enough for _madam_ Ororo." He waved his hands to indicate several nearby cases, all full of jewelry and all of them using diamonds.

Logan scowled slightly. "Look, I thought women liked diamonds. They're forever; ain't that the reason they use them fer the rings in the first place?" He thought that there were other things that made the ring important, sentimentality, design.

Jean-Pierre nodded. "Zat eez so _mousier_. But zen again, roses are ze symbols of romance. Does zat mean zat all women love zhem? Does i _madam /i _ Ororo love zhem?"

Logan's scowl deepened. "No, her favorite flowers are orchids."

She enjoyed roses, even grew them around the mansion. But that was more because the professor and Jean enjoyed them. Not to mention that they were so much more suited to the climate than her own far more particular orchids.

"Ah, zhere you see? Not all women like zee same s'ings. Some women like roses, some women like orchids. Why zhen should all women love diamonds?"

Logan waved his hands in the air, giving up. "I get it. So what do ya suggest?"

He waved Logan closer as if he were about to impart some vital secret. "I 'ave 'ere in zis shop, a very beautiful, very rare blue diamond. I s'ink eet would be perfect."

Logan couldn't hide his confusion. "But ya just said no to a diamond."

Jean-Pierre shook his head. "But zis eez not ze same s'ing. Eet eez a blue diamond. Eet 'as color, eet eez unique and most important of all, eet eez still forever."

Logan understood, resisting the urge to chuckle at the urgent and passionate words. "Sounds perfect. Let's see it"

Jean-Pierre retrieved it, setting the box down in front of Logan.

Logan opened it and looked in awe at the deep blue stone that twinkled out at him. Jean-Pierre was right, this stone was perfect for her. It was radiant and held a deep such a deep sparkle of light. It reminded him of her and the inner beauty of her soul and it took his breath away.

He nodded once. "I'll take it."

Jean-Pierre smiled warmly. "Ah, good. You can pick eet up in sree days." He began writing out the slip.

"I'll be here." He took his copy with a slightly trembling hand and left the store.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Logan, he was being followed and had been all morning. Forge watched with hooded eyes and a stony expression as Logan left the jewelry store. He kept well away from the store afraid of being spotted. And he didn't even twitch a muscle until Logan was headed towards the entrance of the mall. Once he was sure that Logan wouldn't hear or see him, he pulled a cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Yeah?" A gravelly voice answered.

Forge began walking through the mall. "There's been a change in plans. Meet me at the bar in twenty minutes."

There was a pained sigh from the other end. "Dammit Forge, I'm in the middle of something here."

Forge stopped walking, his voice tense and angry. "I don't care if you're knee deep in shit with trouble up to your eyebrows. Get here, now. We've got a situation."

There was a long pause from the other end of the line. "You better make this damn worth my while. I've got other clients you know."

Forge snorted. "Yeah, but can any of your other clients guarantee to keep your ass out of jail?" There was silence on the other end. "I didn't think so. You've got twenty minutes, be there, or I start making phone calls to interested parties."

"Fine, I'll be there." The phone abruptly disconnected as the other person hung up.

He snapped the phone shut with a harsh gesture as he walked towards the other end of the mall.


	33. Stumbling Blocks

Summary: The ring is ordered, now all Logan has to do is keep it secret long enough to propose to Ororo. Can he do it or is there something even darker lurking on the horizon for our favorite couple?

Author's Note: I am going to try and bust out the rest of this story by the end of the year; most of the ending is already written, it shouldn't be too hard. After all, I've been sitting on the ending since the beginning. Why does that sound like an oxymoron? Anyway, I hope everyone has a great holiday (just in case I don't manage to update again before then) and stay with me to the end, I promise it'll be worth it!

* * *

Forge sat at the bar 20 minutes later, well past his second beer, nursing his third when his contact walked up to him. He turned to glance at the new comer, waving the bartender over to get them a drink. "Bout damn time you got here."

The contact sat down, a skinny nondescript man with graying, balding hair. "You said twenty minutes. It's been twenty minutes." He eyed the empty beer bottles, staring pointedly at the one still grasped in Forge's hand. "A little early for happy hour, isn't it? Who could have inspired this deviation of behavior? Someone with white hair perhaps? Or maybe you've developed a thing for red-heads?"

Forge took a deep swallow of his beer. "Mind your own damned business." He pointed the bottle at the other man in warning.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Just trying to make conversation, no need to get upset." The bartender came back setting a fresh drink down for each of them before moving off. He reached out and snagged his drink, taking a sip of it before returning to the matter at hand. "So what's the big emergency that you had to drag me down here away from my business? I have a very pissed off client I'll have you know."

Forge snorted. "Screw your client, they can wait. This needs taking care of now."

"Fine, but this job is going to cost you extra. Especially if I lose my current client. I have expenses."

Forge laughed derisively. "Expenses. What a laugh. Still trying to get that mutant army started are we?"

The other man's face flushed slightly at the comment. "Just because you don't see it as a worthwhile cause. You'd rather spend your time sucking up to them and kissing human ass. Well sorry, I ain't built that way." He jabbed a finger at the gifted mutant.

This time Forge laughed right out loud. "Worthwhile cause? So you've bought into that bullshit have you? More power to you. But me, well all I see is someone pissing into the wind. You and everyone behind you is likely to get splattered. I don't see that happening to me; when the time comes, I'll be on the winning side." He drained his beer, slamming the empty down on the bar.

The other man snorted. "Can the shit Forge, I got things to do."

"Oh let's be honest, shall we. You have vendettas and petty wars to start. You'll be damned lucky if I pay you at all. Besides, what I want you to do should be right up your ally."

Intrigued, the other man leaned closer. "I'm listening." As Forge began speaking, a maniacal smile appeared on his face. After only a few sentences, he was chuckling and readily agreeing to what Forge had planned. "Sounds like fun tonight all right. Count me in."

Forge pulled out his wallet, throwing several bills down to cover the drinks and stood. "Fine, you just be where I told you when I told you, I'll arrange everything else."

The other man smirked finishing off his drink in one final gulp. "I never knew you had this shit in you Forge. You're a bit of a ruthless bastard, did ya know that."

Forge scowled. "I've got a meeting to get to. I'll call after everything settles down to arrange payment." He walked out of the bar.

* * *

Forge returned to the mansion, going directly to the professor's office. He had been patient since his arrival, waiting on Charles to approach him about the information he'd given the telepath. But several days were now past and Charles seemed no closer to a course of action then he was on the day Forge came to the mansion.

Now with his plans for Logan in place, he needed to be sure that things would stay on schedule. It was time to stoke the fire a bit.

He knocked on the office door, entering quickly when Charles called out to him.

Charles looked up from his work and gave Forge a grim smile. "It is good to see you have completely recovered Forge. I trust that next time you will hesitate to enter the danger room without notifying its occupants."

Forge bristled slightly at the censoring tone in Xavier's voice. "Yes and perhaps Storm will have learned a bit more control."

Xavier sighed. "Forge…"

Forge raised his hand, shaking his head. "No, wait, I apologize. I didn't come here to rehash what happened."

"Then what exactly have you come here for Forge?"

"I thought I explained that the day I arrived."

"Forge…"

Again Forge interrupted him. "We are running out of time Professor."

Xavier was silent for a moment, folding his hands as he gazed at the other mutant. "Forge, I understand how you must feel, but I need just a few more days."

Forge shook his head. "The longer we wait the closer they're going to get to perfecting this thing. Do you really want it loose in the world?"

Xavier sighed, shaking his head. "No, I do not. But you must understand my position. If I came to you with this information, what would you do?" Forge remained silent. "I must verify this information through my own sources."

Forge was silent for several moments, never taking his eyes from the professor. He crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't trust me."

Xavier sighed loudly. "It is not that; I simply wish to ensure that this information is accurate. More to the point, I wish to ensure that this information was not given to you to further someone else's agenda."

Forge could not hide his disbelief. "Do you honestly believe that's what happened? This is occurring in the lab I work in for god's sake."

Again, Xavier tried to placate him. "I am asking you to be patient."

Forge felt his patience snap. "We are running out of time." His loud shout echoed loudly in the large room. Forge took a deep breath, calming himself as he ran a hand through his hair. "I can give you three days, max. If you don't make a decision by then, I'm leaving to find help somewhere else."

Xavier nodded glumly. "Agreed, we shall speak again in three days."

* * *

Logan did not return to the mansion right away. His good mood over having finally made the decision to propose to Ororo pushed him to do anything and everything he could think of to make the event of his proposal as special and memorable as possible. So, he went to Ororo's favorite restaurant, speaking with the Maitre d' to make arrangements for a special dinner in three nights. 

The Maitre d', knowing Ororo quite well was only too happy to help Logan in any way he could. He arranged the menu, the music and even promised to send to a local florist for a center piece in Ororo's favorite flowers. He promised Logan that the night would be perfect for the couple.

Pleased by his success with both Jean-Pierre and the Maitre d', Logan went home. When he returned to the mansion, he went in search of the love of his life. He found her quite easily. She and Jean were in the nursery putting the crib together. The new addition wasn't expected until around February, but they all had a motto of being well prepared.

Logan stood there for several minutes listening to them talking and laughing as they worked, hesitant to intrude. So he quietly walked away from the room without letting them know he was there.

With nothing else to do for the moment, he decided to wander outside, maybe smoke a cigar before pulling the bike out for a late afternoon ride with Ororo. He was surprised to see Charles sitting there, staring out over the gardens, his mind lost in thought.

He walked up to the older man. "Hey Chuck."

Charles blinked, looked up and saw Logan standing there. "Ah Logan, you have returned. You were in quite the hurry earlier today, anything wrong?" He waved Logan to a nearby chair.

Logan sat, pulling out a cigar and lighting it as he answered. "No, just had an errand to run in town."

"Oh, anything important?"

Logan took a deep draw on his cigar hesitating only a moment. "Can I tell ya a secret?"

Charles folded his hands, a slight smile on his face as he nodded slightly. "Of course Logan, I would feel privileged to share your confidence."

Logan smiled, rolling the cigar in his fingers. "I went into town ta order an engagement ring. I'm gonna ask Ororo ta marry me."

Charles smiled broadly, reaching out to squeeze Logan's shoulder. "That is wonderful news Logan. Congratulations." His joy at the news was clear to see.

Logan smiled wryly, surprised and touched at the professor's gesture. "She ain't said yes yet Chuck."

Charles chuckled. "Be that as it may, I am more than confident what her answer will be." Silence fell between them as Charles turned his attention back towards the gardens.

Logan watched Charles out of the corner of his eye, seeing the vacant, distant look come over the older man's features once more. "Chuck ya okay? Ya look like someone just kicked yer best friend."

Charles sighed as he turned his attention back to Logan. "I am concerned about some information Forge has brought to my attention."

Logan puffed again on his cigar. The man seemed to be causing more problems than Magneto lately. "Pretty bad, huh?"

Again the older man sighed. "To say the least. But I must admit it is not just the information that bothers me. It is also the pressure Forge is putting on me to move forward."

Logan finished his cigar, stubbing it out on the stones of the patio. "Whatta ya mean?"

Xavier took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. "My own sources have promised to verify this information within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. But what I have discovered so far has done little to ease the doubt in my mind." He paused, folding his hands together, touching the tips of them to his closed mouth.

"The information is very disturbing on its own merit. If this were any other occasion, I would not hesitate to send someone in to discover the truth of it. I cannot explain my own hesitation on this Logan. Forge has never lied to us but there is something about this request that makes me wonder."

Logan grunted softly, having a good idea of what would make Charles hesitate. "He's pushing ya Chuck. If he was puttin' pressure on me like he has been on ya, I wouldn't trust him either." He paused a moment, a new thought occurring to him. "Do ya think he's tellin' the truth?"

Charles nodded without hesitation. "Yes, I do. I sense no deception from him about the information he has brought me."

Again there was a soft snort from Logan. "There's a huge but in there somewhere."

Charles sighed once more, his eyes focused out into the distance of the gardens as he spoke. "I sense a great deal of anxiety in him and I am unable to determine the source of it. While he is being honest about the dangers of the lab, I am afraid he is hiding something else from us and given the level of anxiety I sense coming from him, I fear that it may be something important."

There was a long moment of silence and Logan wondered if the professor would continue speaking.

His voice when it came was soft and somber. "Logan, I wish to ask a favor of you?"

Logan nodded. "Name it Chuck."

Charles turned his intense gaze to meet Logan's steel grey eyes. "When the time comes once I have verified this information, I wish for you to go in and complete this mission."

Not really surprised by the request, Logan nodded. "Then I'll go."

Charles nodded himself, turning his attention back to the gardens as silence fell between them once more.

* * *

Logan left the professor to his musings, his buoyant feelings somewhat deflated by the professor's dark mood. He wandered down the hall, wondering if he should find Ororo again or if he should let her find him. He knew seeing her would lighten his mood but something inside him made him hesitate about sharing the dark thoughts swirling inside his head. 

His nostrils twitched slightly as a faint and familiar scent came to him, breaking into his thoughts. He rounded a corner, to see Rogue standing in the hallway, contemplating the book in her hands.

He walked up to her, reading over her shoulder as she looked up. "Hey kid."

She looked up, smiling as she closed the book. "Hey Logan. How ya doin' sugah?"

He chuckled softly. "Pretty good. What ya up ta today?"

She shrugged. "Nothin' much. Remy and Jimmy are playing ball out back; Ah thought Ah'd come inside and catch up on some stuff."

He reached out to take the book from her, reading the title on the spine. "_Quantum Mechanics for Beginners._" He handed the book back, surprise on his face. "Pretty heavy readin', don't ya think?"

She shrugged again. "Ah kinda like it. The professor said Ah have an aptitude for it."

He shook his head wondering just when she had turned into such an egghead. "So ya ain't doin' nothin'?" He was hoping her answer would be no. They hadn't spent a great deal of time together since she'd come back from the bayou and he wanted to rectify that as quickly as possible.

"No, why?"

He waved her down the hall. "Come on, I feel like gettin' outta here. Why don't ya keep me company?"

"Can we stop for ice cream?" Her eyes lit up at the prospect.

Seeing the look of sheer hope on her face, he chuckled and nodded. "Sure, my treat."

* * *

They sat outside a local ice cream shop a short time later. She was nursing a hot fudge sundae while Logan had stuck to a plain vanilla cone. He watched her, resisting the urge to laugh as she meticulously pulled her sundae apart.

First, she twirled the spoon into the fudge, coating the bowl of the spoon. Then she would grab equal amounts of whip cream and soft serve, trying to ensure that she had a bit of each flavor in every bite. The cherry so far had been pushed to the side to be enjoyed with the last bite, a fact she had very carefully explained to him just a moment ago.

She studied him as he ate his cone slowly. "We haven't done this in a long time." Another carefully constructed bite disappeared into her mouth.

"What this?" He thought for a moment wondering if they had ever participated in this particular activity. He came up blank. "Have I ever taken ya out for ice cream?"

She shook her head as she tore her eyes from her nearly devoured dessert. "No, but we haven't spent much time together since the accident. Ah've kinda missed it."

Logan shrugged knowing just what she meant. "Ya've been busy with Remy. And I've been busy too."

There was silence for a moment as she sat there in her own thoughts. She touched his arm gently, drawing his attention back to her. "She's been good for ya Logan, Ororo Ah mean."

He pretended to think about that statement for a moment, unable to resist the urge to mess with her head. "Ya think so huh?"

Rogue refused to take the bait, blatantly ignoring the innocent tone of his voice. "Yeah Ah do." She paused. "You're different then when ya came home. Ah can see it; you're more relaxed, more at ease. And she's been different too, happier."

He smiled. Unlike with the professor, he felt no hesitation whatsoever in telling Rogue what he'd been up to that morning. In fact, he found himself eager to share his news with the young woman. "Well I'm 'bout ta make her even happier."

"Meaning?" She looked at him as she scooped up the last of her sundae.

He smirked as he kept the hints vague, hoping she would guess. "I went into town today and ordered somethin' that's gonna knock her socks off."

"And that would be?" She waved him on impatiently even as the wheels in her mind continued to turn. In a moment, a light of realization flared in her eyes and she blurted out excitedly. "A ring, ya ordered a ring. Are ya gonna propose?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I am."

She gave out a nearly supersonic squeal as she jumped up and gave him a bear hug. "Oh my God, Ah can't believe it. Have ya got it all planned out? Please tell me yer gonna do something romantic and special. What are ya going ta do?" She released him suddenly and then sat next to him as she fired questions at him.

Logan was glad they were the only ones at the stand; she was making quite a spectacle of herself. "Relax, I went into town and made reservations at her favorite restaurant. The guy there's arrangin' everything for me; he's even sending out for the flowers."

"How soon are your reservations?"

"The ring'll be ready in 3 days; I made the reservations for the same night."

She stood suddenly, pulling Logan up behind her. "Well we've only got 3 days so come on sugah, we've got work to do." She began dragging him towards the car, her jaw set.

Logan tried to resist but she was having none of it. "Work, what work?" He just managed to throw the rest of his cone away before she hauled him back to the car.

She jumped in the car and slammed the door. "We gotta find what yer gonna wear. Ya can't propose ta Ororo in jeans and flannel."

Logan sighed as he got in and buckled up. "Why do I even open up my mouth? I swear yer tryin' ta turn me into yer own dress-up doll."

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Do ya want my help or not?"

Logan started the car, chuckling as he did so. "I ain't got no problem with it. It's not like I got anythin' better ta do."

* * *

He and Rogue spent the rest of the afternoon picking out his clothes for the big night. Logan tired of the chore quickly but let Rogue go on until she was satisfied, knowing full well that she was nearly as bad as Jean and Ororo once she'd sunk her teeth into an idea. All the female residents of the mansion seemed to share that particular dog with a bone trait. 

Later that night, he did his best to keep his excitement to himself; to keep Ororo from finding out about it before he wanted her to. He had to admit that it gave him a bit of a thrill to know

But keeping the secret, of both the ring and his plans, not to mention keeping his emotions to himself, was making him tense. And everyone was beginning to notice his odd behavior, from the secretive phone calls to the sudden disappearances to his interactions with everyone around him.

He was acting a great deal like Jean during one of her hormonal episodes. He was short tempered, snapping at everyone and everything. Despite his diligence in planning ahead, there seemed to be a fair number of road blocks suddenly in the way of his perfect night.

The first call came from the Maitre d', saying that getting a hold of a bunch of orchids at such short notice would be difficult if not impossible and was there any way that Logan could change the date of the reservation, something to do with a minor fire in the kitchen.

Logan's first reaction was to tell the man to take a flying leap off the nearest pier. But he resisted the urge and gave it a couple of seconds of thought. Realizing that it would actually take some pressure off him on the day he picked up the ring, he agreed and pushed the dinner back a couple of days.

The second call was from Jean-Pierre about the first of several problems with the ring. Jean-Pierre informed him that the original setting he picked out was too small and he was needed to come down and pick out something else. Logan readily agreed and headed down to the jewelers at the first opportunity.

Once he arrived at the jewelry store, however, a second problem arose. The setting that both he and Jean-Pierre agreed upon for housing the blue diamond was flawed and could not be used; something to do with the impurity of the platinum metal. Logan spent a very tense hour waiting to see if Jean-Pierre was able to locate a duplicate setting with one of their other stores.

Relieved that all the problems had been solved for the moment, Logan turned to leave. Only to be stopped by Jean-Pierre's voice as he stood in the store's doorway.

"_Mousier_ Logan, zere eez one last zing dat we 'ave not discussed."

Logan turned feeling his temper rise again at the thought of one more thing that needed to be discussed. "And what might that be?"

Jean-Pierre smiled wanly at him, ignoring the flash of irritation in the other man's voice. "Zere eez no inscription. Do you not want zis ring engraved?"

That stopped Logan's anger, dead in its tracks as sheer panic replaced it. He walked back to the counter, running his hand through his hair as his mind suddenly began to race wildly.

"I don't know, I guess I never gave it much thought." He thought for several tense moments but his mind remained blank. He looked up at Jean-Pierre. "Do ya have any suggestions?"

Jean-Pierre gave his strange little smile, almost seeming to take pity on the shorter man as he leaned in close. "Zee inscription eez somezing zat eez meant to be special between zee two of you. Many couples choose a word or a phrase zat 'as special meaning to zhem. Are zhere any words or phrases zat 'ave special meaning to zee two of you?"

Logan laughed as he had a sudden flash of Ororo's face that fateful New Year's Eve in the club. "The night I told her I loved her, I told her she made me feel like a fighter pilot in a tailspin, just seconds from hittin' the ground."

Jean-Pierre chuckled. "An apt description of love _mousier_ Logan, but I cannot fit zat on a ring."

Logan chuckled himself even as he shook his head. "No, I guess ya can't." Again he fell silent thinking.

"If I may be so bold, might I suggest somezing?"

Logan shrugged. "Be my guest."

"I need you to close your eyes and s'ink of_madam_ Ororo. I need you to s'ink of 'er very 'ard. Now, I need you to let yourself feel what she makes you feel. Let zee love you feel for 'er fill you up, wash over you and fill your 'eart and soul. Now _mousier_ Logan, I want you to open your eyes and tell me, what eez zee first zing you s'ink of when you s'ink of 'er?"

Logan did as Jean-Pierre skeptical that it would work. But as the Frenchman's words flowed over and around him, he found himself relaxing and doing exactly as instructed. And when he opened his eyes, he knew what he wanted the inscription to say.

He looked at Jean-Pierre, his face calm and sure. "Do ya have a pen and paper?" He watched Jean-Pierre rush off to find what he asked for. A moment later, having written down exactly what he wanted, he handed the paper back to the jeweler.

Jean-Pierre looked at it, murmuring to himself as he did so. "I must say, eet eez very beautiful _mousier_ Logan, what does eet mean?"

"It's Japanese. It means 'my soulmate'."

Jean-Pierre nodded, carefully putting the paper with the ring setting and the diamond. "I shall rush zis shrough myself; I shall call you when eet eez ready _mousier _Logan."

"Thank you Jean-Pierre, very much."

Jean-Pierre gave him a slight wave of his hand. "S'ink noshing of it _mousier_ Logan." He leaned over, giving Logan a wink and a whisper. "Just be sure to invite me to zee wedding."

Logan chuckled. "Count on it Jean-Pierre."

* * *

The next two days were thankfully uneventful for Logan and passed quietly and quickly. He received no more urgent phone calls or messages, no more urgent summons that needed his immediate attention. But given the trouble he'd experienced in only one day, the very day after he decided to propose to Ororo, he was not about to relax and let down his guard; that was just simply inviting trouble. 

He remained tense, edgy even a bit nervous; if such a thing could be said about Logan, a man who had faced death down on more occasions than nearly any other man alive. And while he did manage to check his temper somewhat, those who knew him well were not fooled by his attempts.

When the phone call finally came from Jean-Pierre that the ring was ready, Logan felt a great sense of relief that the situation was finally under his control once more. He was so relieved at the prospect of picking up Ororo's ring, he failed to notice a pair of eyes following his sudden departure from the mansion. Nor did he did he see that same person open a cell phone and begin dialing.

His errand was relatively quick; he simply parked his bike, ran into the store and picked up the ring. It was only a matter of minutes before he was walking back out, the ring tucked safely away in his pocket. But instead of heading back to the mansion, Logan decided to swing downtown and make sure that the Maitre d' was prepared for the big event in just a another night.

He arrived at the restaurant a few moments later, leaving his bike squeezed between two cars as he ran inside to check on things. The Maitre d' assured him that everything was set and, baring any unforeseen disasters, they were anxiously awaiting the next night. Satisfied, Logan stepped outside the restaurant and hopped onto his bike.

A sudden impulse took hold of him and he found himself heading further into the downtown area looking for a florist shop. A few minutes later he stopped in front of one, and went inside to make a quick purchase.

He was in the store for what only seemed like moments but was nearly a half hour. When he came out, a new live plant for Ororo clutched in his hands, he realized that he'd been gone from the mansion for a pretty good amount of time, somehow it'd taken 3 hours for him to get everything done. Swearing softly, he pulled out his cell-phone. He'd told Ororo his errands would only be a few minutes; obviously he was wrong. He just hoped she wasn't annoyed.

* * *

Ororo was in the gardens, simply relaxing the afternoon away when her cell phone chirped, breaking the sudden stillness. "Hello?"

Logan's much loved and gravelly voice filtered through the mouth piece. "Hey Darlin'"

She smiled, setting her tools aside. "Hello tough guy. I was wondering where you had gotten off to this afternoon."

He chuckled. "I had a sudden errand ta run in town. I woulda asked ya ta come but ya were busy with Rogue."

She sighed softly knowing that what he said was true but still wishing they could have spent the day together. "That is all right love, I understand. When do you expect to return?" She was hoping it would be soon; she had planned a nice, cozy dinner for the two of them.

"I'm almost done, should be back in a bit. I just wanted to call ta give ya a heads up so ya didn't worry." His tone softened slightly as he his voice dropped.

She shivered slightly at the heated promise in it. Only Logan could turn words meant to soothe and ease into a promise of sinful delights. "I cannot wait to see you. As I recall, I promised you a romp in the woods this evening." She purred into the phone, deciding that two could play that game.

He chuckled again. "Yeah, ya did darlin' and I'm holdin' ya ta that." The heat was still there.

She chuckled silently. "Till I see you then. I love you." She kept her voice low and sultry and heard a slight intake of breath from him. The subtle noise caused her to smile.

"Love ya too 'Ro." In a moment, he was gone.

Closing the cell phone, she chuckled to herself as she gathered up her tools and walked back towards the mansion. She stowed the gardening tools quickly in the greenhouse and walked back to the house in very good spirits.

She opened the door into the kitchen, her mind already thinking ahead to the dinner she was planning to make for Logan. She was mentally going over the list of ingredients a third time when she noticed Jean sitting at the breakfast table for the first time.

She sat down across from her. "Afternoon Jean." She then noticed the tissues and glass of juice in front of her friend and suddenly realized that Jean has been crying. "Jean? Are you all right?"

Jean shot her a shot, sad smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ororo was unable to believe her. "You do not seem fine. What is wrong?"

Jean was silent for several moments and Ororo feared that she was simply going to ignore the question. Then, she took a deep breath and looked up at her friend. Her eyes were filled with such sadness, it nearly broke Ororo's heart.

"Ororo, we need to talk."


	34. Accusations

Summary: Jean tells Ororo some disturbing news and Logan is forced into a corner because of it. In the meantime, Xavier discovers that what Forge has been telling him about his lab is true. And he sees no other choice but to send someone in to sabotage the project and rescue the guinea pigs.

Author's note: I'm sorry that this update is kind of short but that's what the characters insisted on; short, sweet and to the point. I know you've all been wondering just what Jean was about to tell Ororo but I'm pretty sure none of you were expecting what I'm about to drop on you. Having said that, I want to say that I took a bit of liberty with this part of the story; I can do that since I know what's going on and what I want to happen in the next few chapters. I know that what Jean is about to tell Ororo seems highly improbable and unlikely but just read on and all will become clear I promise. As always read, review and enjoy!

* * *

Ororo slid into the seat across from Jean her legs suddenly numb and boneless. Her first instinct was that something had happened with the baby, that Jean had lost it. But seeing Jean's face, her features full of anger and uncertainty along with the sadness in her eyes told her that whatever she needed to speak about had nothing to do with the baby. 

Whatever it was, it had obviously shaken the other woman; something that Ororo had not seen happen in a very, very long time. She felt a twinge of fear as she waited for Jean to continue. But Jean remained silent.

Ororo reached out and took the other woman's free hand in her own, squeezing it gently. "What do we need to talk about Jean?"

Jean twisted the tissue in her hand, sniffling slightly as she pulled herself together. "I went out to run some errands today, early. And I wanted to catch the sale at that baby store we found last week." She chuckled a bit as Ororo smiled. "I guess I wasn't the only moody pregnant lady there looking to save a buck."

Ororo chuckled, the image of a horde of pregnant women descending onto the hapless sales clerks like a bunch of sword wielding Vikings flashing across her mind. "If they were anything like you've been, my friend we should have sent the entire team in as back up."

Jean laughed outright at that. "And have Scott and Warren whining about it for the rest of our lives? No amount of money was worth that."

They both laughed for several moments. But the humor was short-lived and they sobered quickly.

"So you went to the baby store?" Ororo began again, prompting Jean.

Jean nodded, twisting the tissue again. "I finished my shopping and decided to take a short walk and window shop before coming home. A few blocks from the baby shop, I saw Logan."

"Yes, he had an errand to run in town this afternoon." Puzzled, Ororo wondered just what Jean was trying to tell her and what it had to do with Logan.

Jean shook her head. "He wasn't running any errands when I saw him." She looked Ororo in the eyes as she spoke, her gaze firm and unyielding.

Ororo felt a stab of panic and anxiety cut through her as the meaning of Jean's message began to penetrate. "Jean, what was he doing?"

"He was kissing another woman." Jean reached out to take her other hand as spoke.

"And you are telling me about a peck on the cheek or lips because?" Ororo still hung onto her final shred of denial hoping that somehow Jean had been mistaken; that somehow she had misinterpreted what she had seen.

Jean shook her head, her hand tightening as Ororo tried to pull free. "Ororo, this wasn't a simple kiss." She looked at her friend, an incredulous look on her face. "Do you think I'd tell you about it if it was? He was wrapped around her like white on rice. I don't think there was room enough between them for a sheet of paper."

Ororo pulled away, standing as she felt a sudden chill come over her. "Perhaps you were wrong; perhaps it was not Logan." She rubbed her hands over her arms trying to drive away the chill in them. But it moved deeper settling into her very bones as the truth of what Jean was saying hit her.

"Ororo, it looked just like him and he left on the bike that he took from Scott the last time he left. I tried to reach him telepathically but I couldn't, he was blocking me." Jean's voice was gentle, but firm as she tried to get Ororo to see the truth. Fresh tears fell down her cheeks as she watched Ororo pacing the kitchen.

"There has to be an explanation for this. Logan would not do this to me." Ororo felt sick to her stomach as she paced, her mind racing to explain something she simply could not easily explain.

"Ororo…"

Ororo faced the telepath, holding a hand up. "No Jean, not another word. I appreciate how hard it was for you to tell me this, I do. But it is a mistake." She turned to leave.

Jean's voice stopped her at the door. "Ororo, I don't want to see you hurt again. I'm sorry."

She did not turn. "It is a mistake; now I just need to figure out which of you is making it." She walked out of the room.

* * *

Ororo stood at the window to her loft room looking out over the mansion grounds, waiting for Logan to return, haunted by Jean's words. She resisted the urge to fidget as she stood there, her thoughts racing as she tried to somehow make sense of her friend's words. 

He loved her, he had proclaimed that himself in a very public manner that was completely at odds with who and what he was. He had laid claim to her their first night together when they ran through the woods, reveling in the cat and mouse game played out between them. The feral, wild part of himself, the essence of the wolverine had come out that night and claimed her as its own. She knew that, she remembered that and she did nothing to fight it, then or now. She knew that what Jean witnessed could not be true; somehow, it was a mistake.

But then what exactly was it that Jean had seen? What and who could fool the telepath so completely? Who would want to? And what did that mean for her own heart and mind? Could her heart be so wrong about him simply because she loved him? Was she so blinded by that love she was no longer able to see the truth when it was shown to her? Did she dare ignore Jean's words, hoping them to be false? How on Goddess's green Earth would she ever recover if they were true?

Ororo knew that she loved Logan with everything she had; there were no stopgaps, no walls, nothing that would protect her from him if he chose to hurt her. She had never allowed anyone that close to her before; no one. Not Jean who she loved as her own flesh and blood, not Scott who she saw as an extension of Jean, not the professor, not Hank not even Remy who she thought of as family. Only Logan held the keys to her soul.

She sighed softly at that thought and for the first time, felt doubt at what she had done in giving him everything she was. Had she made a mistake? Could she have been so wrong about him? She had no answers and a myriad of questions.

She could find no logical explanation for what Jean witnessed. In truth, if she were being completely honest with herself, what Jean saw would explain a great deal of Logan's recent behavior: his sudden departures, the nervousness, the hushed secretive phone calls all of it could be explained by his seeing another woman. But did she believe that?

Her thoughts were broken as she heard the roar of the motorcycle seconds before Logan rolled up to the garage, walking the bike into it. A few moments later, the roar of the engine cut off.

She sighed loudly and stepped from the window, drifting down to the lawn below. She walked into the garage, meeting him in the middle of the large room. As much as she hated the idea of talking to him about this, as much as she wanted to simply disregard what Jean had seen, she knew she could not.

He smiled at her, giving her a gentle kiss.

She shivered slightly at the familiar touch of his lips on hers. She wanted nothing more than to sink into his embrace and ignore the last thirty minutes of her life; but she knew she could not. So she pulled back, away from his touch, away from the security and comfort only he had ever brought to her.

"Logan, we must talk." Her voice was strained and tight.

Logan let his arms drop, wondering at her tone and the tension he could see in her face and posture. "Sure thing darlin'. What's on yer mind?"

Ororo stepped away from him, trying to distance herself, hoping that somehow it might make it easier to discuss the topic. "I had a talk with Jean today. She was very upset."

Logan relaxed a bit, snorting as she turned away from him. "When ain't she upset these days? I think this pregnancy is scramblin' her brains." Ororo's face did not change and he sighed gently. Jean's pregnancy seemed to be affecting a great deal more than just her and Scott. "So what was she pissed about?"

"She went into town today to shop for the baby." Her voice faltered slightly. "She told me that she saw you outside a store downtown. She said that…" She shivered slightly, suddenly chilled at the idea of repeating Jeans words. She crossed her arms across her chest, rubbing her arms briskly as she tried to fight it off.

"Yeah, go on." Logan resisted the urge to comfort her; it was obvious that she was having difficulty getting out what she needed to say.

"She said that…" Again her voice faltered and she took a deep breath, steeling herself. "She said that she saw you with another woman, kissing her. Then you left on your bike. She said she tried to reach out to you but either you ignored her or you did not hear her." Her words came out in a rush, faster and faster until they ran together, so much she was not sure she made any sense.

For several moments there was a heavy silence in the room. Logan stood there, unable to believe what she had just said but still able to hear the words echo in his mind.

He stepped closer to her unable to hide the rage he felt at her accusations. "What exactly are ya askin' me?"

She looked at him, her eyes ripping holes in his soul. "I do not want to believe her. But I must know what is going on. Were you with someone today?"

He let his hands fall to his sides, managing to remain calm as he answered her question. "I wasn't with anybody today." Something in her eyes told him she didn't quite believe him and his hands clenched into fists as he fought the urge to grab her and shake her. Do ya really think that I would do that ta ya? Do ya really think that I'm that much of a bastard ta do that ta ya?" His tone was gruff, low and completely pissed off.

Ororo shook her head. "No, I do not. But I do not know what to think of this. Jean swore to me that she saw you with another woman. You swear to me that you were alone this afternoon."

Logan turned from her feeling helpless in the face of the blind rage he felt at her accusation. He ran his hands through his hair roughly, unable to believe that she could ever consider him capable of being unfaithful.

Ororo nearly reached out to touch him, brought her hand up to do just that knowing that despite what Jean had seen, he was telling the truth. She felt her heart break at the realization that something was very wrong with all of this.

She let her hand fall, not touching him. "I know that both of you are telling me the truth but I do not know who is mistaken."

He turned back to face her, his eyes alight with cold fury. "I told ya I was alone this afternoon." This time he reached out, grabbing her shoulders firmly, his eyes boring in to hers.

"I know and I believe you, I truly do. But Jean was adamant that she witnessed you with another woman." Ororo reached up to touch his hands on her shoulders, pleading with him to understand why she felt compelled to ask.

"I don't give a damn what Jean saw. I wasn't with another woman." Beyond angry, enraged to the point of no control, he released her roughly turning away from her pleading eyes.

Ororo sighed wondering just how she could control of this conversation once more. "Of course not Logan." Her tone was tired.

Logan snorted unsurprised at her easy dismissal of his oath. "Ya don't fuckin' believe me."

"Logan, language." She admonished him but there was no real heat behind her words.

He turned to face her once more, this time determined to convince her that he was telling the truth. "Screw my language Storm. Why the hell would I ever be with another woman when I'm with ya?"

"I have asked myself that same question. I still do not know the answer." Ororo reached up and began rubbing her temples. She was bound to have a terrible headache before too long.

"Fine, I'll give ya a god damned answer." He reached out, cupping her face in his hands and stepped closer until his lips almost touched hers. "There isn't anyone else. I'm with ya because I love ya. Do you hear me? I love ya, full stop, period. There ain't room in my heart for anyone else." He resisted the urge to simply lean in and show her just how much he did love her. Despite how relaxed she felt against him, he could sense an underlying tension in her. He wanted her to believe him but he didn't want to push too hard.

She shivered at the feel of his breath on her lips. It was always like that between them, from the very first time that they touched she felt lost in him. She knew that if she allowed it, he could make her forget her fears and concerns over what Jean witnessed. Part of her wanted the glorious ignorance his embrace promised if even for a moment. But the larger part of her knew that somehow she had to find out the truth, even if it ended up breaking her heart.

She pulled away from him, feeling unshed tears sting her eyes. "Then how do we explain this? I know in my heart that you would never be so callous to me Logan, that you would never betray me. I know in my heart that you love me; but my head cannot see past the fact that you do not have to love someone to have sex with them."

Logan ran his hands through his hair giving a fierce growl even as he shook his head. He had no idea how any of this had happened and he had no idea how to fix it without giving away too much. He wanted the proposal to be special, unique but sometimes with her, things ended up being that way without any effort on his part.

Smiling to himself, he realized that popping the question in the middle of a fight about being unfaithful pretty much put it in the extremely unique and memorable category. In a moment, he tossed away his carefully laid plans to give her the truth behind his behavior over the past couple of days.

He gave her a rueful look. "Dammit. Ya can't let me do anything the right way can ya?"

"What do you mean?" Confused, she watched him carefully.

"Ya wanna know the real reason I was downtown today, alone?"

She shook her head. "You do not have to ex…"

Logan cut in, his voice harsh. "Ya started this, now ya can't handle finding out the truth? Buck up Storm and learn to take yer licks." He reached into his pocket, closing his hand on the small box there.

She sighed hating herself for the fear that she felt that maybe somehow she was wrong and Jean had indeed witnessed something. She crossed her arms across her chest and gave him a glacial stare. "Fine. What were you doing downtown when Jean saw you kissing some other woman?"

"I was pickin' up yer engagement ring." He pulled his hand out, holding the box in his palm showing it to her.

"What?" Dumbfounded she could only stare blankly at the box for several moments.

"Yeah that's right, I was gonna propose." He turned to the bike and pulled out the live plant next. "I was in the damn shop for nearly twenty minutes pickin' it up and shootin' the breeze with Jean-Pierre. Then I thought it might be nice ta buy somethin' new fer the greenhouse so I went downtown ta that florist ya like so much, which is on the other side of town. That's what took me so damn long; traffic was hell today." He handed the plant and the box to her and waited.

"Logan?" Her voice sounded so small and there were tears in her eyes as she opened the box to look at the ring he wanted her to wear.

"Ya just don't get it do ya. Cause he's still inside ya hurtin' ya even after all this time." He stepped closer to her, his own eyes filled with love and desire and something more as he took a hold of the hand that held the ring. "I love ya. I want ta marry ya. I wanna spend the rest of my life with ya. I wanna watch us raise a family and grow old together. I wanna know that everyday when I wake up, you'll be next ta me and when I go ta sleep, I want ya ta be the last thing I see." He reached up to stroke her cheek as the tears slid down her face. "God dammit woman, I want you. All I've ever wanted is you."

"You want to marry me?" She found her voice at last, but it was soft and a bit shy.

He smiled. "Ain't that what I just said?"

"But we only spoke of it that one time when you were worried that Forge might convince me to go back with him simply because he was willing to marry me. I thought you brought it up because of what he said, I did not know you felt this way." Her lip quivered slightly as the reality of what Logan had done began sinking in. In her arm the plant quivered as she was overcome by his words.

"Things change Ororo, people change. Ya should know that better than most of us." He reached and rescued the plant and set it aside before turning to face her once more.

She smiled slightly, her eyes still shining. "Yes, I do." She threw herself into his arms, feeling them come up and encircle her, pressing against her. She reveled in his strength, in the solid feel of him surrounding her as she simply immersed herself in the myriad of emotions his proposal evoked. Nothing had ever her made her feel this happy not even Forge's proposal had given her the fierce joy that now sang through her.

She shuddered slightly feeling a sense of horror come over her as the last few minutes of their conversation hit her once more. She pulled back slightly her face horrified at what she had nearly thrown away. "Dear Goddess Logan, what did I nearly do?"

He touched her lips. "Hush, it's over with."

"But I just accused you of…"

Again he cut her off not wanting to hear the words come from her mouth again; once was enough for him. "No ya didn't. And as far as I'm concerned ya had every reason ta be suspicious." He pulled her close once more, his mind already racing over possible explanations for what Jean had seen. "Forge being here has got ya wrapped up tighter than a G.I. Joe with a three day pass to naked Barbie Woodstock." He rubbed her back slowly, soothingly as she started chuckling.

"Thanks for that lovely analogy." Her laughter died as she hugged him harder needing to drive her fear away. "And I am still very sorry."

He smiled even as he leaned in and took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. It soothed him, driving away the last of his rage as he turned his focus to finding the truth behind the lies. "Don't worry, we'll get ta the bottom of this. I have a sneakin' suspicion that our guest might know somethin' 'bout this whole mess."

Ororo looked at him in shock. "You cannot really believe that Forge would go to this length just to make you look bad."

He snorted. "I can and I do. The man thinks he's in love with ya. Sometimes men do crazy things ta get the attention of someone they love." He reached out to touch her face gently, his mind remembering what he had been willing to do long before he knew for sure he loved her.

She smiled at him gently her mind also recalling some special events. "Like nearly gutting a complete stranger in a night club just for being drunk, grabby and a bit stupid?"

He smiled wryly. "Yeah, just like that." He gazed at her in silence for several long moments, the previous conversation forgotten in the heat building between them. "So, do ya have an answer fer me?"

She opened her mouth to answer, surprised that he still needed to ask but her answer was lost by an unexpected summons from the professor.

_X-men report to the war room._

Logan swore violently even as he acknowledged Xavier. "Dammit he has a lousy sense of timin'." He dropped his arms and began leading her back into the mansion.

"Logan, I would like to give you your answer."

He turned, seeing that she still held the ring. He reached out and curled her fingers around the box even as he shook his head. "No, this ain't gonna take long. I want us ta be somewhere private cause I plan on makin' love ta ya the rest of the day when ya tell me yes." He smiled as he began walking to the mansion once more. "Come on, let's get this over with."

* * *

Xavier waited until the last member of the team had seated themselves before beginning to speak. "As most of you know, Forge came back to the mansion earlier this week with some information concerning something someone in his lab is working on. I asked him to wait because I wanted to confer with my own contacts within the government about this information. I have been waiting for a reply; today I received that confirmation." 

Xavier reached out to small panel on the arm of his chair pressing several buttons, waiting for the liquid crystal map to form the desired structure on the table. The eyes that were on him only a moment before turned their attention to the display before them.

"This government facility is deep in the back woods wilderness of Virginia. They have overlapping guard posts and shifts, heavy artillery and enough ammo and supplies to survive a year long siege. According to Forge they also have state of the art security and they are completely isolated so hacking our way in is impossible."

"Professor, what exactly is going on there?" Scott spoke up from one side of the table.

Xavier sighed. "According to Forge and my own sources, the government is developing a temporary cure for mutants, some kind of dampening field that temporarily neutralizes certain neurological frequencies that are very common in most mutants. This field renders the exposed mutant powerless and completely human." His words were met with stunned silence. He continued on saying what he knew everyone was thinking at just that moment.

"I do not need to tell you the implications that this has for all mutants and just what they might be planning to use it for." He pushed a few buttons again, showing different areas of the facility to the team. "Normally I might advise more precautionary measures such as a carefully placed saboteur or even using some of my own contacts to see that this experiment is buried."

There were several nods around the table; such things had been done before with a great deal of success. It made things simpler and easier for the government to happily sweep under the rug. They were more apt to believe one of their enemies responsible than a covert team operating from within their own country. Xavier hated drawing attention to their team if at all possible.

Xavier sighed again, abruptly shutting down the display. "But we no longer have that kind of time; they are very close to perfecting this. Worse is the news that they have a small group of mutants being held against their will that they are testing this field on. That in my mind justifies the need to go in and destroy their research and rescue the mutants."

Logan looked at Charles carefully knowing exactly what this decision had cost him. "How can we be sure they don't have back up data somewhere else?"

"Forge has told me, as have several of my own contacts, that the persons heading this experiment are extremely paranoid about their work getting out or getting stolen. If they succeed, they can sell their information to the highest bidder. Therefore they are keeping a tight lid on every piece of data and they are keeping it in the lab.

"However, just as a precaution, I wish to send out single person teams to the homes of those in charge to ensure that no copies were made. Each team will be given a powerful virus to install on any computer system they find that will destroy the data the next time it is retrieved or booted onto the computer." He waved at Forge who began passing out folders filled with information about their intended targets and a copy of the virus to the remaining team members.

"What are we going to do about the lab?" Scott looked through his folder slowly committing it all to memory, his tone and bearing all business.

"I am sending in Forge and Logan to infiltrate it, destroy the research data and equipment and rescue any mutants they find there. If at all possible, they are to destroy the lab as well."

Again there was a shocked silence around the room as Charles' words sank in.

"Isn't that a bit much?" Warren's voice was quiet from his end of the table.

Xavier shook his head. "No, I do not want this traced back to us, nor to mutant activities in general. I want there to be a great deal of confusion as to who is responsible and why. We must make this look like a general attack on the lab. If we only destroy the data, someone is going to know the real reason behind it." He looked around at each member of the team, meeting their eyes as he continued speaking.

"It is imperative that this be done quickly and quietly. Once we know the lab is destroyed, I will send the one man teams in. The chaos of the lab being destroyed should buy us the window we need to get in and out of their residences without trouble."

Logan nodded at Xavier. "Won't it look a bit suspicious, the lab goin' down and then the houses?"

"That's why you and Forge will be planting evidence to point to at least two other government groups that have openly been trying to sabotage mutant research in this country for some time." He looked at the others. "Are there any other questions?" Silence and several head shakes were his only response. "Good then Forge, Logan you'll leave for the lab as soon as you're ready. Good luck gentlemen and come back safe." The team began filing out of the room.


	35. Betrayals

Summary: Logan and Forge head out on their mission together and despite his promise to Xavier, Logan has some real misgivings about the wisdom of spending a great deal of time alone with the genius inventor.

Author's Note: So sorry this took so damn long to get this to you guys. Especially since I am so close to finishing this damn thing. But I swear life picks the strangest times to rear its ugly head and poke fun at me; this time it was a sudden falling out with my roommate, having to find a new place to live unexpectedly and meeting a woman who literally knocked me off my feet and ran away with me. So I've just spent the past couple of months walking around grinning like an idiot and not even able to remember my own name. But well things have calmed down a bit and I found my attention grabbed once more by this tale. So here we are. As always, please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

An hour later, Ororo stood with Logan in the equipment room in the hangar bay watching as he selected and loaded his equipment. She watched his hands, the sure deft movements making short work of the somewhat tedious process reminding her once again just how capable he really was.

This was his calling, fighting the good fight, protecting the weak from the strong to ensure they had a future. But it made her wonder, who protected them? Who would stand up and tell them they no longer needed to fight? Who would be willing to take over for them and make the hard decisions needed to protect the weak?

She knew in her heart that someone needed to do what they did. Someone needed to step into the void and stand in the way of hatred or evil. But sometimes, it was such a tiring prospect because it never seemed to end. For every one they knocked down, two more stepped up to take its place.

She sighed hating herself for even feeling the slightest hint of doubt. This was what they did, this was who they were. They could no more stop doing it than they could stop breathing. But sometimes, when those you loved more than life itself were facing the void, it was so hard to keep that in mind.

She walked up to him as he finished working, tying the bag shut. Her arms snaked around him, pulling him close against her as he leaned against the worktable in front of him.

"I wish you did not have to go." Her voice was quiet and muffled as she pressed her face into his back, forcing the sudden wave of tears down.

He sighed. "Ororo," he turned around in her arms, pulling her tightly against him, feeling her tremble.

She nodded. "I know, I know this is what we do, this is who we are. But I simply cannot shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen." She trembled slightly as she spoke unable to shake the dark cloud that had suddenly descended over them all with the professor's words. She burrowed deeper into his arms, wanting nothing more then to stay there forever, never moving, ignoring the outside world for the rest of their lives.

"Darlin', I can handle him; there's nothin' he can throw at me that I can't throw back at him." He kissed the top of her head, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply. He too had his own misgivings about the mission, but he wasn't about to share them with her and worsen her own anxiety.

She pulled back, cupping his face in her hands. "I know, but please, I beg you, be careful."

He gave her a soft smile before kissing her on the lips. "I will, I promise." He let go of her, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out the ring. He looked at her as he held it out. "Before I go, I want ta give ya somethin' to hang onto." He put the box into her hand, folding her fingers over it.

She looked at him in surprise, clutching the box tightly. "Logan, I…" She trailed off, unable to find the words. She threw her arms around him once more, embracing him firmly, her heart so filled with love for him that it ached.

He held on for several moments before trying to pull away. She refused to let go. He sighed. "I've got ta go darlin'."

"I know, I know." She let her arms drop reluctantly.

He shouldered his pack of gear and headed towards the door and the hangar bay just beyond where the black bird rested quietly. He could smell the myriad of odors that permeated the place, the oily pungent jet fuel, the brittleness of plastics and the sharp bite of metal.

As they reached the door, Ororo reached out and grasped his hand firmly in her own, walking with him to the open doors of the jet. Forge stood just inside the shadows of those doors, moving slowly about the plane as he stowed more gear.

Ororo stopped Logan just outside of the jet, hugging him hard once more, whispering in his ear. "Promise me that you will come back, safe and sound."

He kissed her head gently, even as he pulled back. "I promise darlin'." He released her, walking backwards up the ramp into the jet as he called out to her. "And when I get back, I expect an answer."

She nodded, calling out to him, "be safe my love." He nodded once, and then he was gone, the ramp raising behind him, stealing him from view. She stepped back as the hangar bay doors opened and the black birds engines came online. She left the hangar as the roar of the jet filled the cavernous room with earsplitting noise.

The jet lifted and she watched from the window as it left the bay and the doors closed behind it. She sighed loudly as she heard it streak into the sky above her. "Dear Goddess, please keep him safe." She whispered, feeling tears prick her eyes.

* * *

Logan sat at the controls of the blackbird, not really doing much since setting their heading for Virginia. But he had no desire to put the jet on autopilot and interact with his passenger. Truth be told, the mission was probably going to be a great deal more difficult than he had let on to either the professor or Ororo, for one specific reason: he hated Forge.

There was simply no way to sugar coat the gut reaction he had whenever the inventor was around him. The man made his skin crawl, if for no other reason than Logan was sure he was up to something. He felt it from the moment he learned the mutant was in the mansion. His hunch was only reinforced by Xavier's mistrust of the man's information and Ororo's annoyance and subsequent attack on him in the danger room, however accidental.

Not to mention that every time he was around Forge, his hackles rose and the beast came fully awake; not pressing or trying to take control, but watchful. Almost as if it too sensed something not quite right about the man. Logan had to resist the urge to bare his teeth and stake a claim to everything and everyone around him several times. It wasn't something he normally had a great deal of trouble with and he was very interested just what about Forge would cause his possessive streak to rear its ugly head so blatantly.

Forge's voice broke him from his thoughts. "We should be there in about an hour or so."

Logan nodded, checking their heading one more time against the coordinates Forge had provided. "Might take us a bit longer ta find a place ta set down." He paused, studying another image of the topography of the area; hoping they could find a decent clearing close enough to the facility.

"I've got a place with a jeep waiting. Its about five miles from the compound; far enough away that the blackbird won't be picked up but close enough for us to get out fast if something goes wrong." He punched in a set of coordinates and Logan adjusted their flight plan slightly.

"So what can we expect?" He purposely pushed aside his concerns about the man sitting next to him and forced himself to focus on the situation at hand. The sooner he was heading back to the mansion and Ororo's answer, the better.

Forge shrugged slightly. "It shouldn't be too hard getting you in; we'll pretend you're a newly acquired specimen." He gave Logan a wry smile.

Logan ignored the smile and the urge to wipe the smirk off Forge's face, choosing instead to snort slightly. He was not at all pleased with the idea of letting himself be captured and put into another government lab.

But they had little choice and fewer options; it wasn't as if Logan could walk in alongside the man. There was no one in the world who would buy that Logan was a visiting scientist or even a government official sent to inspect the site. Some things you just could not hide and Logan's attitude and gruff appearance were right on the top of that list.

"No cuffs." His gruff, clipped words broke the silence in the cabin like a hammer shattering glass.

"What?" Forge looked at him in surprise.

"No cuffs." Logan repeated.

"How in the hell am I going to convince them you're a prisoner?" Forge's annoyed voice rang out through the small cabin of the plane.

Logan pointed a finger in Forge's direction, his voice gruff. "Ya can take me in a on a fuckin' gurney, claimin' I'm doped ta the gills if ya want, I don't care how ya do it. No cuffs!" He turned his attention back to flying the plane, the matter settled in his mind and with no more room for argument.

For several long moments there was silence in the cabin as Logan kept his attention on simply flying the plane. But he couldn't help but notice the glances Forge kept shooting his way when he thought Logan wasn't paying attention.

After several moments, Logan's already raw and frayed nerves began to unravel and he barked harshly at Forge. "Ya got a problem bub?"

Stunned, Forge could only shake his head. "No, just trying to answer a question."

Logan resisted the urge to snort again. "And what might that be?"

"Do you love her?" Forge's words landed like a lead mine in the quiet cabin of the stealth plane.

"What?" Logan tore his eyes from the control panel unsure of what he'd just heard.

"Do you love her?" His voice was quiet but hard, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he stared at Logan; almost as if he didn't trust the answer Logan would give him.

The question startled him, not that it should have given the suspicions Logan had over Forge's return. Still, it surprised him, setting him off balance as he considered just how to answer it. His first impulse was to just brush him off, tell the taller man to mind his own damned business. But something made him hesitate and he found himself contemplating the man's words.

He sighed slightly as his jaw clenched, his eyes leaving Forge's to contemplate the darkness outside the plane. "Not that it's any of yer damn business, but yeah, I do." His voice was just as quiet but sharp as he turned his attention back to the genius sitting next to him. "Does that answer yer question?"

Forge nodded. "Yes it does."

Steel grey eyes hardened, boring into the other man as Logan's tolerance simply disappeared. "Good then stop starin' at me 'fore I rip out yer eyes and hand 'em to ya." Logan turned back to the controls. Next to him, he could see Forge shift in his seat

"No need to get violent."

This time Logan snorted loudly. "Not from where I'm sittin'." He decided that enough was enough and pulled out a cigar, popping it into his mouth before lighting it. He ignored Forge's annoyed look as the smoke slowly spread throughout the cabin.

"Do you have a problem Logan?" The snide tone in Forge's voice pricked Logan's ears.

Logan chuckled slightly even as he chewed on his cigar. "Yeah I do."

"Sorry I can't help you with it." Forge turned his attention to the instruments on his side of the plane.

Logan pulled the cigar from his mouth to be sure that Forge heard every word he said. "Actually ya can, make sure ya drop dead after this mission."

"A bit testy are we?"

Again Logan snorted. "No just optimistic fer a change." There was a heavy silence for several moments after those strange words and Logan felt himself begin to relax. But then just as he was ready to forget the matter and let the final bit of tension leave him, he felt Forge's eyes resting on him again.

Logan turned to the Cheyenne, feeling the feral side in him waking up at the perceived threat. He snarled slightly as he spoke. "Most men don't get a warnin' from me, let alone the chance to walk away. Don't make me regret givin' ya either."

They stared at each in silence for several moments, each weighing their wills against the other. Logan, tired of holding back let the animal free, feeling it rise up inside him as he felt it changing him. He felt the strength and anger of it settling in his body. It did not like this man, this stranger who sought to take its mate. And it was pissed.

Logan took a deep breath feeling the beast pressing on him but not taking control and wondered at the wisdom of letting go so easily to it. Even as another part of him relished in the fear rolling off the other man at his sudden change. Forge broke first, his gaze breaking away from the darker, wilder gaze of the Wolverine. Logan turned his attention back to flying the plane, feeling the beast within him drift back down and go dormant once more. Neither one spoke for the rest of the flight.

* * *

Nearly forty-five minutes later, with the blackbird settled down in the clearing Forge had indicated, their equipment stowed away and Logan lightly secured to a gurney on the back of the jeep, Forge was driving slowly down an old logging road to the government compound. 

Logan was satisfied that the cloaking device and relative isolation of the clearing would keep anyone from stumbling onto the plane but still had misgivings about how well Forge's plan to get them inside would work out. After all the point was to get into the lab without setting off any alarms, either with the guards or otherwise. But there was something about the idea of willingly walking into U.S. government hands, or any government for that matter that set Logan's nerves on edge.

He allowed Forge to secure him to the gurney without any protest; he even let him hook up an IV of saline to make it appear that Logan was being heavily sedated. But he was still not happy with the situation and every bump and jolt of the old dirt road only increased his apprehension.

If it hadn't been for the promise he'd made to the professor, he would likely have told Forge to take a flying leap off the nearest cliff and left the man to his own devices. But he had given his word and he was determined to honor that; no matter how much the mission was troubling him.

Several moments went by in relative silence as Forge navigated the bumpy, rut-filled road, the engine of the jeep the only sound to be heard for miles. Logan lay still letting his senses extend as far as they would reach, letting them tell him about the world around him that he couldn't see.

He could smell the fluids and exhaust of the jeep just under him, but beyond that lay the crisp fresh smell of the green forest, the spicy soothing scent of the rich soil and somewhere, far in the distance the cool scent of flowing water teased his nose. He took a deep breath, releasing it just as the jeep hit a deep rut and he felt a jolt, similar to when he struck his funny bone, run through him.

He opened his eyes, every sense on high alert at the strange sensation. He looked around the area carefully, sniffing and straining hyper-sensitive eyes and ears to find a cause for the sudden jolt that had nothing to do with the rut in the road. Something pricked his senses but it faded quickly. Shaking his head, he lay back down on the gurney, mulling it over in his head.

Several moments later, he felt the jeep slow down and come to a stop. He forced himself to remain completely still as he listened to Forge talking to the guard at the post.

"Welcome back Forge. What'd you bring back this time?"

A creak as Forge shifted in his seat slightly. "Another guinea pig; something special for the big brass. I've got him sedated but I need to get him down to the lab asap."

"No restraints?" A shift of gravel as the guard stepped around to the back of the jeep.

"Nope, got him drugged out of his mind but it won't last more than an hour. And believe me I had a hard enough time getting him down the first time, so if you don't mind." His voice drifted off and then sound of the gate being raised.

"Go right on in; the boys are expecting you." The guard shouted over the noise of the gate.

"Thanks Jack." He put the jeep back in gear and took off, heading deeper into the compound.

Logan let himself stay loose and slack as they drove deeper into the base even as he let his senses take account of things around him for later use. It only took a few moments before the jeep slowed again and the stopped as Forge cut the engine. Logan heard the gifted mutant get out and come around to the back of the jeep. He felt Forge adjusting the IV, making a show of upping the meds while talking to him softly.

"There're two guards coming to help me take you inside; once I get you into the lab, I'll let you off the gurney and we'll decide on the next course of action." Forge stepped away as the other two guards stepped forward.

Logan felt himself being lifted, the floating sensation continuing as they carried him into the compound. Logan heard the doors open as they walked through and then close behind them. He kept track of the turns they took, starting to build a map of the compound to go over the one he had studied before leaving the mansion. As far as he could tell, they were in the west end of the building, the area that Forge said was for R & D.

Several moments later, they entered a final room and Logan felt himself deposited onto a hard metal table with a hard jolt. Logan resisted the urge to leap up and throttle the jerks as his skull bounced off the table. He heard them quietly talking to Forge for a moment and then, they left.

He opened his eyes slightly, taking in the empty room before he sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the table. He watched as Forge came up to him, watching as Logan began pulling out the IV.

"Where are we?" He asked Forge as he jumped from the table. He felt a slight twinge as his feet touched the floor and he paused a moment, puzzled by the sensation. But it was gone before he could figure out what it was or what caused it.

"We're in a medical processing room, about two doors down from the holding cells." Forge walked over to the other side of the room and pulled a set of coveralls off the wall. "Here, put these on."

Logan took the clothes from the other man. "We just gonna walk over there?"

Forge nodded. "Yeah; I've got a bolt hole out of this place; I should be able to sneak us all out that way." He watched as Logan donned the coveralls. "Ready?"

Logan nodded. "Yeah."

Forge turned and went out the door, letting Logan follow him as he simply walked down the hall and headed straight for a doorway at the end of it.

Logan looked around slightly, not surprised to see that the compound looked like nearly every one he'd ever been in before. He snorted softly wondering why something labeled "Government Intelligence" never managed to show a single bit of originality. He stopped behind Forge as the other mutant reached the door and punched in a complex key code.

The door slid open and every instinct Logan possessed lit up like a Christmas tree. He snarled, reacting without thought as the beast flew up from the depths to slam into his body. For a moment he warred with it as he tried to figure out just what it was that set his senses off. Then it backed off a bit and he tensed, his claws shooting free from his forearms, the familiar tingle of their passage turning into a ripping burning pain.

He looked down in amazement to see rivulets of fresh blood running down his hands to drip onto the floor. He lifted his hands, staring at them in shock. He turned his attention to Forge, who stood there looking at him with a set, uncaring expression on his face.

Logan lifted his hands, staring at Forge, blood still running down his arms. "Ya stupid sonnava bitch, what'd ya do ta me?"

Forge smiled evilly, stepping forward, the hall behind him filling with the guards that Logan had sensed in the room beyond. "Nothing much, I just repressed your healing abilities enough to give you some problems. Right about now you're starting to feel the effects of heavy metal poisoning as your own body rebels against the adamantium lining your bones."

The guards surrounded Logan, multiple guns pointed at him and there was no doubt in his mind that if he took a bullet from them, he'd never leave the hall. "What the fuck are ya doin' this for?" He could feel his chest tightening a bit as his breathing began growing difficult.

Forge sneered at him, circling the smaller man. "When I first took this assignment, I told myself I was just doing what I was ordered to. But now, knowing what I know about you and Ororo, I was only too happy to drag your ass here." He reached out, giving the smaller mutant a slight shove, looking pleased when Logan stumbled.

"Yer doin' this cause yer pissed 'bout 'Ro?" Logan felt his vision darkening a bit, his breathing growing more labored. He knew he only had a few moments before he passed out and then he would be at their mercy. But no matter how his mind raced, he couldn't think of a way out of the situation.

"No that's not the only reason." He studied Logan closely, seeing the other mutant's growing difficulties. "You've got everyone snowed don't you?" He chuckled darkly at the confused look on Logan's face.

"Snowed?" Logan blinked, feeling a sense of detachment come over him as he slowly lost contact with the beast inside him.

Forge nudged him again. "They think you're an asset, that you've been tamed. But we both know the truth don't we? You'll never really be tamed or civilized; I think we're damned lucky you're even house broken." He looked down at his hands, wiping them on his clothes as if they were covered in something dirty, disgusting.

Logan shook his head, trying to clear it slightly, feeling the blackness lift slightly as he tried to stay standing. "Listen bub, I know about the history ya have with 'Ro and I don't give a damn. She chose ta stay with me when ya came back. I bet that just eats at ya, don't it? That someone like her could possibly love someone like me." He sneered at Forge, hoping to goad the gifted mutant into attacking him. If only so he could take the bastard down before they killed him.

Forge sneered right back. "Yes it does Logan. But in a few moments, that won't matter much any more. Cause you'll be here in a cell and I'll be on my way back to the mansion to inform them all that you've died." He watched as Logan tensed, his claws still extended. The man was barely able to stand but he still seemed willing to fight. "Go ahead, fight us Logan, you'll still be locked up."

Logan smiled, the gesture looking like a snarl in his suddenly pale, pale face. "Ya won't kill me; otherwise why go ta the trouble ta get me here?"

Forge chuckled. "We won't have to kill you; we just have to wait for you to pass out; which should be any minute now."

Logan swayed again, knowing he was right but unable to give up. His voice slurred slightly as the symptoms grew worse. "Yer insane. She won't believe ya."

Again Forge chuckled. "Oh I think she will. I'm going to take your body back."

Logan couldn't hide his surprise. "What?"

"Oh don't worry, I really do want to keep you alive. So I'll be taking back a clone, complete with adamantium skeleton."

Logan felt everything click into place. "Yer the one who started up the damned Weapon X project again."

"Yes I am; and you were so kind enough to destroy all my research in Canada. But thankfully, with you here, I won't be starting completely from scratch."

Logan swayed again, losing his fight to stay upright and fell to his knees. Above him, Forge continued to explain.

"So when they ask me what happened, I'll tell them the mission went sour, you went berserk, got hit with the cure and you were killed before I could stop it from happening. I'm sure that they'll all be grief-stricken, but given time they'll get over it. I know I'll have no trouble forgetting about you."

Logan panted a bit, forcing his voice to be steady as he looked up at the genius. "Glad you have it planned out so well; ya just forgot one minor detail in all of this." He felt the muscles in his abdomen cramp strongly, his claws sheathing themselves once more, the cramping driving him to the floor as he grunted loudly at the pain.

"And what's that?"

Logan smiled, looking up at him, panting heavily. "That 'Ro don't trust ya no more. And she knows me; she won't believe ya and neither will Rogue." Again he grunted as his muscles seized violently.

"We'll see Logan; but in the meantime, you're mine and I am going to spend a great deal of enjoyable time plumbing the reason you survived the process that's killing you without your healing factor." He motioned to the guards. "Take him away."

Logan felt the guards grab hold of him firmly and he sagged against them, unable to do anything to stop them. His vision blackened considerably and unable to do anything, he lost consciousness, a final desperate mental plea sent out to anyone near enough to hear him calling out to the emptiness around him.


	36. For Him the Bell Tolls

Summary: For the other residents of the mansion unaware of Forge's treachery, life continues on as before. Even Ororo is able to keep her mind from dwelling on the fear she felt when Logan left. But when Forge returns a couple of days later, her world will fall apart.

Author's note: This chapter was really difficult for me to write; it took forever for me to get the reactions just right. Sorry that you all had to wait so long and thank you so much for hanging in there all of this time to see this through to the end. This isn't quite the end but I'm nearly there, I promise. Oh and in my defense, I have just moved, started a new job and fallen in love (in that exact order too, lol).

* * *

Forge stayed around for the first few days, telling everyone that he wanted to be sure that Logan didn't manage to escape somehow. But truth be told, a deep part of himself wanted to see his rival suffering at the hands of his tormentors. And Forge often watched with grim satisfaction as each test was administered, the pain often driving the feral mutant to his knees.

They kept Logan's healing factor active enough to repair the damage they did on a daily basis and keep him from suffering from heavy metal poisoning because of the adamantium on his bones. But beyond that they were very careful to keep him sedated at every opportunity. Each technician was very familiar with his file and knew very well what he was capable of; no one was willing to take any chances.

At first, when he awoke to find himself in a cell, his hands in adamantium restraints preventing his claws from being released, Logan felt a sense of dread come over him. This was not the worst situation he had ever been in, but it was perhaps the bleakest. It would take every bit of training and wits he had to not only find a way out but simply survive long enough to use it. He had made a promise to Ororo, he would go back to her. But more importantly he'd made a promise to himself; he would get out and he would make Forge pay.

Forge was smart enough to keep in contact with the mansion, telling them simply that it was taking them a bit longer to complete the initial recon necessary to pull everything off without a hitch. The professor in the meantime accepted Forge's explanations and promised to hold off on the second half of the mission until he heard from Forge on his success.

A few days later, convinced that Logan was docile enough, Forge loaded one of Logan's clones onto a jeep to take it back to the blackbird. The clone had been killed the previous night, providing him with a solid time line to the story that he had constructed to tell the other X-men. As he took off from the clearing near the base, he spared a final wry smile for the man trapped in its depths. He had no intention of ever seeing the man ever again.

About 20 minutes away from the mansion, he punched in the mansion's emergency radio code and began the first step of his plan. "Blackbird to base. Blackbird to base, come in base." He repeated the same message over and over again waiting for a response. It was several moments before anyone came back.

Scott's voice wafted over the blackbird's cabin speakers. "We read you blackbird, go ahead."

Forge smiled slightly, keying in the mic as he went on with his deception. "The mission was a bust, I repeat the mission was a bust. Abort plan B; I'm coming in redlined. I need a med kit and a gurney."

There was a slight pause from the other end then Scott came back on. "Copy that blackbird." There was some frenzied shuffling on the other end of the radio and then Scott broke protocol. "What happened Forge?"

Forge shook his head. "I'd rather not say on an open channel; let me land and I'll tell you everything. Just make sure that damn gurney is there!" He set the mic down and began preparations for landing.

About twenty-five minutes later, the blackbird landed and powered down in the hangar, Forge hurried down the loading ramp. He was met by Scott, Jean and Hank, their arms full of medical equipment.

Scott came up the gangway, pushing Forge out of the way as Jean and Hank came up behind him. "Forge, what the hell happened? Where's Logan?"

Forge waved at Logan's clone, watching as Jean and Hank began going over his still body. "Here. I tried to get him stabilized but nothing I tried would work. I decided to head back here."

"What the hell happened?" Scott's voice drew his attention.

He took a deep breath. "We went in with him posing as a prisoner so I could get him inside. At first it went well but after a couple of days someone decided to step up the damn project. We decided to get the mutants out last night. We decided he needed to create a diversion so he jumped a couple of guards and started a fight.

He shook his head as Jean and Hank continued working. "But something happened, he just snapped and went into a blind berserker rage. He was killing guards left and right, there was no way I could get to the prisoners. It all happened so fast, there was nothing I could do, they just hit him with the cure and someone shot him with some kind of disrupter; he went down like a lead weight."

Scott watched as Jean and Hank began CPR and administering medication, trying desperately to get a response. "How the hell did you manage to get him out of there?"

"I yelled at the guards to go check the other prisoners and told them I'd take care of body disposal. Once they'd all left, I high tailed it out of there and hopped on the jet. He's been unresponsive since he was hit." Jean and Hank looked at each other and then stepped away.

Scott spoke, already knowing what they would say. "Jean? Hank?"

Jean glanced at Hank, his face lined as he shook his head. Jean turned back to Scott and shook her head. "There's nothing we can do; he's dead."

* * *

Ororo was just at that moment on a shopping trip for the mansion. She had decided to volunteer to go grocery shopping for the mansion to keep her mind off Logan's very noticeable absence. She herself had found the passage of time especially grueling to bear. She tried everything she could think of to occupy herself and keep her mind from dwelling on the dark feelings she felt whenever she thought of Logan and the mission.

She worked in her greenhouse until her hands were saturated with the smell of fresh Earth, her nails dirty and cracked. She spent time with Remy and Rogue, shooting pool and just simply talking. She even spent time with Jean going over wedding plans and plans for the nursery. All in all she was going completely out of her mind. The shopping trip that morning had been a godsend, something to take her away from the mansion for a time and keep her occupied. She was just finishing the final bit of it, the SUV packed to the gills as she shut the hatch doors.

_Ororo?_ Jean's mental voice echoed in her mind.

Ororo chuckled as she opened the door and slid into the driver's seat. She and Jean had just spoken a few moments before, reminding Ororo of some minor thing they desperately needed. Ororo was surprised that Jean would contact her mere moments after she had left. _I am here my friend._

There was a hesitation to Jean's reply. _Ororo, the professor and I need to see you right away._

She frowned slightly at the hesitation, wondering at the barriers she felt in her friend's mind. _Give me but a moment and I will be there. My hands are a bit full._

_We'll be in Charles' study._ Then Jean was gone.

Ororo frowned slightly as she started the vehicle and headed back to the mansion. Something was bothering Jean a great deal and what that was, Ororo was suddenly afraid to find out.

Nearly an hour later, Ororo stood just outside the medical bay, looking through the windows at the sheet covered gurney that lay inside unable to take the final steps and go inside. She did not want to do it; she did not want to reach up and push the doors open to step inside. Because somehow as long as she did not, it was not real and still could be denied. At that moment she wanted nothing more then to go back to her room and pretend that it never happened. But it had and nothing she could tell herself would change that.

_ Upon her return, Charles and Jean had drawn her into his study, their faces somber and drawn as they asked her to take a seat. Puzzled at their strange behavior, she sank into a nearby chair. Ororo could feel nothing through their shared link and that bothered her even more than their shuttered expressions. She sat there a moment studying them, feeling a wave of fear sweep over her at the closed expressions on their faces. _

_ That fear only sharpened when Jean sat next to her and took her hand. "Ororo, Forge came back today."_

_ Ororo smiled, for a moment forgetting how strange it was that they called her there to tell her that news. "They are back? Where is Logan?" She tried to stand but Jean's tight grip on her hand kept her in her seat. Puzzled, the fear sharpening into a sharp prick in her heart, she looked at her friend._

_ Jean reached out, taking Ororo's other hand and squeezing them both tightly. "Ororo, there was an accident; Forge told us that Logan was trying to create a diversion by picking a fight with the guards. He said that someone injected Logan with the cure and then he was hit with a disrupter." Jean sniffed slightly, her tightly held façade cracking as faint glimmer of grief brushed across Ororo's mind. "Honey he didn't make it."_

_ Ororo blinked, unable to process what Jean said. "What?"_

_ Jean tired again, this time letting more of her control slip so Ororo could feel her grief. "Ororo honey Logan was killed." Unshed tears glittered in her pain filled green eyes._

_ Ororo shook her head, still unwilling and unable to believe what she was being told. "That is not possible." She released Jean's hands, feeling a wave of anger coming over her to wash away the fear in a fiery blaze._

_ The professor spoke up from his chair, his tone soothing yet firm. "Ororo…"_

_ She turned her fierce gaze to her beloved mentor and shook her head even more firmly. "No, no he is not dead; he promised me. Forge is wrong, Logan is not dead!" But she felt her resolve breaking as her voice cracked and the first tendril of fear found its way through the anger._

_ Charles sighed even as Jean squeezed her hands once more. "Ororo, please believe me, I wish he were. But I saw Logan's body myself; honey it's him."_

_ The reality of what they were telling her finally began to penetrate her denial. And she felt her control slipping even as she clutched it to close to her heart. "No, no, no, no, no, no this cannot be happening; he promised me! He promised to come back to me!" From somewhere in another corner of her mind, she marveled at the shrillness of her voice, at the quavering quality she could hear in it. _

_ Charles tried again. "Ororo..."_

_ Ororo shook her head, surging to her feet. "No, I will go down and see for myself; I cannot accept that he is dead, I simply cannot. I must see for myself." She stormed from the room while the professor and Jean sat there, numb in their own grief. She slammed through the door, knocking it back against the wall hard enough to crack the hinges free. Heading down to the lower levels to prove them wrong. _

So there she stood her mind reeling at the shape lying under the sheet. Ororo heard Jean and the professor, their words whispering in her head once more, heard them say that Logan was gone; killed in a government lab while trying to rescue the mutants Forge had told them about. But she could not bring herself to believe. She heard their words, but she could not bring her heart to accept; it was numb, her mind fogged by disbelief. He could not be dead; he was nearly indestructible; he could not be dead. But somehow, he was.

He had promised to be careful, promised to return to her; he had even gone so far as to promise her that everything would be all right in the end. He had no intention of leaving her, ever. But now, somehow his promises were as dead as the man that made them.

She pushed open the doors and stepped through, walking slowly toward the gurney, each step harder and harder to take then the one before it. When she at last reached the gurney she merely stood there looking down at the sheet clad form that lay deathly still on it. Finally, unable to delay an longer, she reached out, her hands trembling and pulled the sheet back. Slowly, Logan's beloved face came into view.

With a harsh sob, her hands went numb and the sheet fell from them. She sagged against the gurney, her legs giving out. She stood there for several moments feeling the tears sting her eyes as she stared disbelieving at Logan's gruff face. All the while her mind screamed at the impossibility of it all. He could not be dead, he could not be dead. The litany played over and over again in her mind like a broken record and each time it repeated, it threatened to destroy her sanity.

For several moments she leaned against the gurney, staring at Logan's pale face, unable to look away, feeling the tears stinging her eyes but refusing to fall. After what seemed an eternity something snapped inside her and she surged to her feet, desperately needing to put some distance between herself and the cold hard truth laying on the gurney before her.

She stormed up through the lower levels of the mansion, suddenly desperate to escape the familiar walls, feeling them press in on her in a way they never had before. She sobbed loudly as she ignored the elevator, instead using her powers to roar up the stairwells to the sub level that held the hangar. With a simple thought, the wind whipped up, blowing the doors open, as she rushed through. Her sobs echoing loudly in the deathly still corridors.

She landed on her feet running, lifting her hands, letting her gift surge violently, the air whipping out in front of her in thick heavy strands to smash against the hangar bay doors. With a resounding bang, they split, the steel bending and peeling as if it were nothing more than soft butter under a knife; she struck out once more and they snapped open, falling against the ground with a resounding bang. She took flight, shooting through the opening like a rocket and into the open sky, leaving the destroyed hangar behind her.

As she climbed into the higher altitudes, the weather rolled around her, responding to her dark and potent emotions. The sky darkened ominously going from brilliant blue to coal black in moments as she struggled to contain the ragged emotions that were beginning to seep through the numbness. Her sobs trailed after her as the rain began to softly fall.

She continued to climb higher, pushing herself to the very limits, feeling the rage of the storm building around her as her control slowly began to unravel. She fought the urge to openly weep as she began to fly away from the mansion. She used her powers to push her body faster and faster, speeding through the sky like never before. The falling rain slashed and stung her face but she pushed on, trying to outrun the pain and rage inside her heart. Around her she could feel the storm keep pace, as she sped north hoping to find a place to vent her pain and grief.

For nearly 3 hours, she flew only vaguely aware of her direction until she was surrounded on all sides by open ocean. The storm swirled and grew around her as in the eye of it all, she gave vent to the rage within. Something inside of her snapped and for the first time since her powers manifested, she gave them free reign, letting go of her control as a wave of anguish swept over her heart.

She wept and the sky wept with her. She raged and the wind, sky and waves raged with her. The rain pelted down in sheets, blowing and pummeling the ocean around her, soaking her to the skin while the wind roared like a hurricane and the waves reached for her in her lofty perch in the sky. Uncaring, she urged the storm around her to a fury never before seen in nature. If she must hurt, if she must feel the grief, the Earth would grieve with her.

And somewhere, her mind drifted back to the first moment she had met him, gruff and rumpled, he had come into the mansion; a lit cigar hanging from his mouth and smart remark to her rolling off his tongue. She took an immediate liking to the blunt and bristly mutant; especially when he began jerking Scott's chain. As much as she loved Scott, sometimes he was too much of a hard ass for his own good.

Fast on the heels of that memory came another. The first moment she had fought by his side, watching in amazement as he threw himself so thoroughly into the fray; ignoring his own grievous wounds to save a child from a burning building. She remembered being amazed at the reckless disregard he seemed to show for his own life, in spite of his healing factor.

And then came the more recent memories, the moments they had spent exploring their new relationship. Their first self defense session, their rides together as he taught her how to ride his bike. The many times she managed to finagle, finesse or just plain trick him into acting so out of character. Their first kiss, their first date, the first time they made love, outside in the rain after a game of cat and mouse in the woods. The first time they had danced after they began dating, their first camping trip. Everything they had done together was remembered and mourned because she would not be able to do any of it with him again. She wept and raged, screaming her grief to the heavens, letting the memories free as she struggled to come to terms with her loss.

Inside the storm, she lost all sense of time as the memories played over and over again, one after another; until they began repeating like a broken record. She was haunted by the memory of their final goodbye, the feel of his hand upon her cheek, his lips touching hers, so gently that now she wept from it. She should have grabbed him, pulling him tightly against her and begged him not to go. But, she had not because she knew that what he had left to do needed to be done; just as she would not have hesitated to do it in his place.

But all things must end and even nature has its limits. So after a period of time, the storm began to falter as she felt her strength waning. She floated in the sky, drifting gently on the faintest of currents as the storm died down around her. She stared in amazement as the soft blue sky slowly appeared through the thinning clouds. The rain stopped and the oceans calmed as she sank slowly from the sky.

Her descent was gentle and slow, and she watched dispassionately as the ocean drifted closer to her. She found herself unable to care that she did not have the strength to remain aloft much longer. Seven years ago Forge had destroyed her world and she had vowed that he would never hurt her that badly again. But he had wandered back into her life and broken her heart a second time. This time, she simply did not have the strength to pick up the pieces and begin again. nothing mattered any longer.

She looked down just as her toes broke the water; it was cool as it swept over her feet making its way slowly up her leg. She sank lower, both her feet disappearing under the eerily calm surface. She heard a dim roar above her and her numb mind pondered its source. She sank even lower, her head lolling forward as her strength began to fail her. The water now covered her knees. One final tear slid down her cheek as she felt the last of her strength fade away and she began to slip beneath the surface.

"Logan." She whispered as her head fell back, her eyes rolling back as her vision grayed. Somehow, she found just enough strength to stretch her arm into the sky once more. Then that too failed as she simply let go. She slipped only a few inches further into the water before coming to a sudden stop once more. Dimly, faintly as if from far away, she felt someone's arms around her even as she slipped into the abyss.

"Ah've got ya sugah. Ya just hang on, 'Ro. Just hang on."

She smiled sadly as she lost the battle and quietly passed out, while Rogue flew her back to the blackbird, a worried Jean standing at the hangar door.

* * *

Ororo jerked awake, ascending from the darkness so fast it made her dizzy. She sat up, looking around herself in surprise. She was inside the medical bay in the depths of the mansion but she had no memory of how she had gotten there. She remembered her flight from the mansion and calling the storm into which she had vented her rage and grief. But then, the memories ended abruptly.

She glanced at the side of the bed, seeing Jean sitting next to her bed, curled up asleep in the chair, her head resting on the back of it. Ororo felt a twinge of guilt at the pain her friend would feel when she awoke, knowing that it was worry over her that had kept her there when she was so obviously dead on her feet. She reached over and touched Jean gently.

Jean jerked awake, her feet hitting the floor as her hand shot out to seize Ororo's firmly in her own. "Ororo, you're awake." She winced slightly as her neck protested its long held contorted position.

Ororo smiled tiredly. "Yes, I am."

Jean got to her feet slightly, reaching over to check the I.V. She sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to take Ororo's pulse. "That was quite a storm you called up. We almost didn't get to you in time." She stuck a thermometer in Ororo's mouth.

Ororo waited until Jean finished taking her temperature before speaking again. "What happened Jean?"

Jean let her hands fall away, meeting Ororo's gaze firmly. "What do you remember?"

Ororo sighed slightly, resting back against the bed. "I remember calling the storm. I simply let go and it came. I do not remember much else. How did you find me?"

Jean allowed her a wry smile. "Honey, the storm you created was on every news channel. No one could understand what was happening; it didn't make any sense to anyone else. We knew right where you were." She reached out to take Ororo's hand. "The professor said that your mind simply gave out, that you simply didn't have the strength to control the storm any longer and it just dissipated. We reached you just as you passed out and fell from the sky."

Ororo closed her eyes for a moment, newfound guilt coming over her. "Was anyone hurt?"

Jean shook her head. "No, you were far enough out that by the time it reached land, the effects were minimal."

Ororo reached up to touch her forehead, her eyes closing. "I feel so weak. I have never felt so tired before." She felt Jean touch her forehead gently.

Jean rearranged the blankets around her, before settling back down on the edge of the bed. "I'm not surprised. I don't think you've ever managed to use your abilities at full strength for over three days before."

Ororo's eyes shot open in surprise. "Three days? I was out there for three days? By the Goddess, I could have killed someone Jean. How could I do that? How could I lose control like that and not know for three days?" Her voice became hysterical at the thought of hurting someone else because of a lack of control.

Jean reached out, taking her gently by the shoulders, trying to calm her friend. "Ororo, take it easy. You've suffered a terrible loss; you're entitled to your grief."

Ororo felt her breath hitch slightly as her throat tightened. "Logan." Her voice was a bare whisper and her eyes filled with tears. Jean nodded. Ororo looked down at her hands, feeling the tears stinging her eyes. She looked at Jean. "I wish he were here Jean. I wish that he were here chewing me out right this minute for nearly getting myself killed. And I wish that Forge had never come back asking for our help."

Jean's eyes filled with tears as well as she sat next to her heartbroken friend. "We all do Ororo, we all do."

Ororo looked at her hands, thinking of Logan and the promise he had made to her before he left. "He asked me to marry him before he left."

Jean couldn't hide her surprise. "He did? You never said anything."

"He asked me just before he left for the mission." Ororo said quietly thinking about the velvet box he had pressed into her hand before leaving. It was still sitting on her dresser in her room, waiting for him to return. She had no idea if she could ever look at it ever again.

"And what did you say?"

"I never got the chance to answer him. The professor contacted us before I could tell him yes." Ororo's lip quivered slightly as she held in her sobs.

Jean lifted her hand to cover her mouth, tears sliding down her face. "Oh Ororo, I'm so sorry."

Ororo looked down feeling her breathing hitch as she heard his voice again, asking her to marry him. "I never had the chance to say yes to him; to tell him that I wanted more than anything for him to be my husband, for me to be his wife. Dear Goddess above, what I would give to just have the chance to say that to him." She broke down, sobbing quietly as Jean embraced her, her own tears falling down her cheeks. Far above them, in the sky over the mansion gentle rain began to fall without a cloud in sight.


	37. Unraveling

Summary: A few days after Logan's supposed death, Ororo begins having very strange dreams. So she goes to the one person she thinks might be able to help. What will happen when that doesn't work?

* * *

The cell doors clanged open with a loud clank as two guards dragged Logan into the cell. They dropped him like a load of bricks on the concrete floor and left him lying there. He groaned slightly and rolled over onto his back as the door slammed shut behind the retreating guards. He pushed himself slowly to his feet feeling the ache in his bones and muscles as things slowly began healing deep inside.

He leaned against the simple steel bunk, panting as he tried to get to his feet. They had removed the shackles earlier that day, confident that his subdued healing factor would keep him from attempting anything really foolish. He was playing up that assumption as much as possible. He needed them to forget he was dangerous, to forget that he had lived with pain all his life; his healing factor being subdued would not hinder him in the slightest when he made his escape.

He finally made it to his feet and wobbled over to the sink to splash cold water on his face. He looked at his distorted reflection in the sink basin, feeling his legs tremble as he tried to stay standing. The image slowly blurred and swam as another one took its place. He watched in amazement and with a sense of guilt as Ororo's face formed in the sink basin.

"'Ro," he whispered as he reached out to trace his finger over her cheek. The image broke when he touched the surface of the water. He pushed himself away, slowly pacing his cage as the anger filled him. He could feel the beast growing restless inside and begin pacing as well. He felt his lips pull back from his teeth as he let a soft growl free from his chest. His chance would come and when it did, he would take it; the beast would be free to wreck his vengeance.

* * *

For the second time in less than a year, the professor found himself having to make a sad announcement to the entire school. An announcement he made only after he pulled Rogue and Jimmy aside and told them privately. The young girl was devastated and Hank was forced to sedate her as well. Jimmy chose to vent his grief in private and disappeared for nearly two days before returning to the mansion. He told no one where he went but the professor had a good idea where he might have gone and let Jimmy be.

Following on the heels of that emotional outburst, Charles informed the student body that they would be holding a memorial service later in the week. In the meantime, the doors of all the teachers and adults at the mansion were open to any student at any hour should they need an ear. There were very few dry eyes in the mansion at the news of the death of the Wolverine.

For the next few days, Ororo was forced to stay in the medical bay and recover her strength. Concerned for both her own welfare and the welfare of those around her, not to mention a sense of guilt she felt at the upheaval her emotions had caused, she allowed Hank to give her a neural sedative. It curbed her ability to control her powers, but it also prevented the weather from reacting to her turbulent and ragged emotions.

It was nearly a week after first hearing the news of Logan's demise before Ororo managed to find the strength to go back to the room she shared with Logan. Jean, concerned for her friend, had offered to come with her but Ororo had declined; she knew that this was something she had to do, no matter how much pain it might cause her. She needed to face the reality of her life now; she needed to see for herself that it had fundamentally changed.

She stood in the open doorway of the loft for several moments, staring at the room and the scattering of belongings that told her that two very separate people lived there. Her things were neatly stacked, folded or put away. And while Logan had never really been a slob by any stretch of the imagination, he had been a great deal more relaxed about the state of the room then she. His things were scattered throughout their living space, providing a sense of warmth she never realized her room lacked until the first time she had come up to find his jacket draped over the bed.

She stepped into the room, staring at the empty bed that she and Logan shared for what seemed like such a short time. She could feel his presence everywhere in her room. There was his tooth brush and razor in her bathroom, some of the clothes he had tossed on a nearby chair. Even the weathered cowboy boots and hat that he adored were resting on her dresser. She kept expecting the door to open any moment and in he would walk, a brilliant smile on his face, for her. But it did not happen.

She sighed loudly as she grabbed his shirt from the back of the chair. She pressed her face into it breathing deeply, drawing in his scent, fresh tears filling her eyes. She stroked the shirt, staring at it for several moments trying to calm down. With a lump forming in her throat, she slipped the shirt over her head and went to the bed.

On the nightstand was a glass of water and a single pill. Hank told her to take one if she had trouble sleeping. But her long time dislike of drugs was still strong and she resisted the urge to give in to the weakness. Her body would allow her to sleep, eventually. She did not want to become dependent on other means to reach that state.

She climbed into bed, wearing Logan's shirt, his things scattered around the room and for a moment allowed herself the illusion that the last several days had not happened; that he was simply away on a mission and would be home shortly. The fantasy did not last and shattered after only a few moments. Her mind simply would not allow her the luxury of pretense, no matter how much she might cry out otherwise. Logan was not coming home.

Eventually she would have to do more than face that. Eventually she would have to let him go; eventually she would have to move on with her life. She would have to dispose of his belongings, packing or simply giving them away. Leaving her only with the memories of their together; chilled comfort though it was, she knew that was all that was left her. Soon, very soon she would have to face that.

But not tonight and not anytime soon. There would be time enough for that when she had finished grieving; for the moment she was unable and unwilling to let him go. She snuggled down into the bed, wrapping his shirt around her tighter as Logan's familiar scent surrounded her.

She tried to relax, to let her mind drift down into sleep, but the calm peaceful state she needed to get there would not come. She turned over and settled back down, dimly aware of a faint noise coming from her window. She felt someone sit on the edge of the bed and knew at once that Remy had snuck into her room.

She turned to look at her brother sitting there, on her bed and felt fresh tears stinging her eyes. He said nothing to her, just simply held out his arms and she threw herself into them, sobbing quietly. He held her for several long moments, rocking her slightly as she sobbed against him.

After a few moments, her sobs quieted and she pulled away from him. She sat up, looking at him through a veil of tears, feeling a strong sense of detachment as she watched him pull out a handkerchief and felt him wipe her face.

"He is gone Remy." Fresh tears filled her eyes and he continued to gently wipe her face.

"So Remy has heard." He put the handkerchief in her hand and simply waited for her to go on.

"I loved him so much Remy. Do you think he knew just how much I loved him?" She looked at him, her face stricken and watched his face darken in response to her pain.

"_Oui_, _mon sœur_. Logan would have to have been blind not to see it. And Remy know dat he loved you very much. He must have to let Remy live after all da shit he did." Remy reached up to touch her face gently, trying to sooth away some of her pain.

"Yes, he did." She chuckled at the memory, so very recent in both their minds. Then her mind clouded again as she realized that there would be no new memories to take its place once it faded to the background of her mind. "Oh Remy, it hurts so much." She gave a soft cry, feeling her heart withering in her chest.

He lay down on the bed, holding her tightly against him, rubbing her head; his silent support and love barely easing the pain in her heart. She listened to his gentle breathing, finding strange comfort in its steady repetition. It soothed her and without intending to, she relaxed. Feeling silent tears slip down her cheeks, she drifted down to sleep and in her sleep she dreamt.

She and Logan were having a picnic; something they had not managed to do. The dream was extremely vivid; she could feel all of her senses tingle at the assault of sensations around her. The smell of the air, the sound of the bird, the taste of the fresh peach she had bitten into moments before. But those sensations were quickly pushed aside as she chuckled at a comment Logan made.

"I do not care if the movie was bad Logan, it still brought up several valid social issues." They were arguing about the plot of a movie that they had seen together just a few nights ago. A rather disappointing feature about cloning and ethics.

He snorted as he handed her a bottle of water. "Such as?"

Ororo shrugged. "How far should we go to save another human being? Should we allow ourselves to be cloned to save our own lives at the expense of the lives of our clones? Do clones have souls?" She used the water to wash the peach down.

Logan laughed as he reclined on the blanket they had spread for their picnic. "I guess I missed all that philosophical stuff because I was too distracted by the lack of believable plot or characters."

"Be serious Logan." She nudged him playfully as she lay down facing him.

"I am. Come on ya can't tell me I was the only one who noticed this was supposed ta be in the future but all the cars were 2004 Magnums. I mean come on, they've got flyin' trains and motorcycles, where were the damned flying cars ta match?"

"I am so glad to know what was important enough to grab your attention during that movie." She gave him a wry smile, reaching out to entwine her fingers in his.

He chuckled, kissing her hand lightly as he set it on his chest. "Hey, ya gotta have priorities. All though I must admit that it was pretty good how the clone arranged for the original guy's death."

She sighed a frown marring her face. "That was rather disturbing."

"Made me think of somethin' similar." He rolled back over to look at him.

She looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean about me and how I died." His tone was light but there was no smile or levity on his gruff face.

She laughed. "Died? Logan stop joking, you have not died." She tried to pull away from him, a bit angered at his poor joke. But his hand tightened, not letting her go.

"Yeah I did. Don't ya remember?" His voice was soft but firm.

This time her anger got the best of her and she jerked her arm free, sitting up, rolling away from him. "Logan if this is your idea of a joke, it is in very poor taste." She began putting their things away in the picnic basket, her movements jerky and angered.

He rolled over to her, kneeling just behind her. "I ain't jokin' 'Ro. Jean told ya I died nearly a week ago." He reached out to touch her shoulder.

She whirled on him, jabbing him in the chest sharply. "If that is true than how can I be here talking with you if you are dead?"

He gave her a wry smile. "Yer dreamin' darlin'. Ya fell asleep in our room and ya started dreamin'."

She stared at him for several moments feeling the whisper of a painful memory waft across her mind. She pushed it aside vehemently. She refused to believe that what he said could be true. "This cannot be happening. You are not dead; you just left yesterday on a mission with Forge. He has not come back yet so there is no way that she could have told me you were dead." She turned back to the picnic basket and kept packing.

"Darlin', he did come back and he told ya I died, ya gotta remember." He grabbed her shoulders again, his mouth against her ear, his voice soothing but insistent.

Another memory whispered to her and she let the things she had been holding drop from suddenly numb hands. "Why, why do I have to remember that Jean told me you died? Why would you want me to remember something that would utterly devastate me?" She shuddered a bit as the walls in her mind slowly began to break down and the truth began to leak through.

His arms embraced her as he continued talking quietly in her ear. "Because Forge lied 'Ro, I ain't dead. I'm still stuck in the God damned lab we broke into."

She stiffened, trying to turn. But he held her tight. "But…" she thought for several moments as the memories came back to her, a rushing assault of pain and grief. She fought off tears as she whispered. "But I saw your body in the medlab."

His arms dropped. "It's not me, its' a clone."

Ororo felt her mind racing, she turned to face him, her face filled with desperation. "But the skeleton was grafted with adamantium, just like yours."

Logan shook his head. "Forge faked it."

She searched his eyes, desperately wanting to believe everything he told her was not true that she was caught in some crazy dream from which she would awake. But there was only truth and sincerity in his eyes. At seeing that, she felt something snap inside her and she could longer hold the torrent at bay.

She sank to her knees. "Dear Goddess, is this true? Is this really happening?" Her voice was soft, unsure and full of fear.

Logan kneeled next to her, enveloping her in his strong arms. "Yeah it is darlin'. I'm really here, talkin' to ya now. Ya got to believe me; I'd never leave ya. I promised ya that."

She pulled away, her eyes earnest as they met his own. "Goddess, how is this possible? I am not telepathic, how can I be speaking with you this way?" She reached up to touch his grizzled cheek, feeling a slight tremor touch her chin as she thought she would never feel it again.

He shook his head, leaning into her hand. "I don't know darlin', and I really don't have time to figure it out. Ya gotta get down here and pull my ass outta this hell hole."

She shook her head, pulling her mind back to the problem at hand. "How will I explain this to the others?"

"If ya think they'll listen then try. But don't take too long; they're killin' me here. Try Jeannie first, she might be more apt to believe this shit but don't even bother with Scooter; he's way too much of a tight ass to believe this is even possible." Ororo chuckled. His voice softened and he reached up to caress her face with his large callused hand. "And darlin', just remember that I love ya and I never wanted to leave ya." He kissed her lips, his touch soft and gentle.

She sank into that kiss, wishing it to never end. But it did, rather abruptly as the dream suddenly ended and she snapped awake. Ororo opened her eyes, expecting to see Logan's face in front of her, still feel his lips pressed against her own. Her hand met empty air and she jerked fully awake, sitting up quickly. The room was empty, she was alone.

She sighed loudly, feeling the remnants of the dream lingering as she felt fresh tears welling in her eyes. "Logan, what is going on?"

* * *

Later that day, she stood in her room once more, staring out the window that overlooked the mansion grounds, her mind racing, her body numb. She had tried to tell Jean about the dream, had in fact managed to get out the entire story in just a few sentences. But Jean had been hesitant to believe her. In fact, she refused to listen any further and told Ororo that perhaps it would be a good idea if she spoke with Hank about something to help her sleep.

Ororo had been deeply hurt by that. She knew in her heart that what she experienced was real. How she knew this she could not say, but it was enough that she knew. Logan was alive; in the midst of all her grief, she had been given a miracle and she had no idea of how to make anyone else believe her.

Ororo heard the door open and close quietly as someone joined her in the room. She stood at the window, gazing out into the fading sun as she heard soft footsteps approach her. She noticed Jean's faded reflection in the window and mentally sighed. She was not looking forward to talking with the telepath so soon after her dismissal.

"Ororo, we were hoping you would join us for dinner."

Ororo shook her head, holding firmly onto her anger. "I am not very hungry; I only wish to be alone." They had been the best of friends since the moment she had crossed the threshold of the mansion ten years ago; for Jean to deny her trust, belief and acceptance, it was more than her heart could bear.

Jean stepped closer, touching Ororo's shoulder lightly. "Ororo, please."

Ororo turned cold eyes on her friend, her anger quite evident. "You need have no worry, I am not about to fall apart on any of you again. I am once again in control of my grief." Jean said nothing. Ororo turned back to the window. "This is not right, Jean. There is something very wrong with all of this. I am telling you Jean, it was real. He is alive."

Jean's hand fell away. "Ororo, sometimes the mind can play cruel jokes on you when you've lost someone special to you. You just need to give it time."

Ororo snorted, a habit she had picked up from the feral mutant. "Time? Logan is trapped in a lab somewhere, being tortured most likely and you wish for me to give it time? Time is exactly what he is running out of and if we do not do something he will be well and truly dead."

"Ororo, please…"

Ororo turned to face her friend. "He asked me to tell you that he was alive; he said that you of all people would understand." She reached up and grasped Jean's shoulders firmly, her eyes begging Jean to believe her. "All I am asking for is for you to understand now, do not question just trust. Is that so much to ask of you, my friend?"

Jean sighed, tears in her eyes, slowly shook her head. "Ororo, you have to accept what happened. Logan's gone, he died trying to save another mutant from the dungeons of a government lab. He's gone Ororo."

Ororo's hands dropped. "Is he? I am not so sure." She turned back to the window, her heart aching at Jean's denial.

"Ororo this denial is not healthy."

Ororo turned to face her again, her eyes lit with suppressed rage and grief. "Have you ever known me to have flights of fancy? I am telling you, with everything I am, that Logan is alive. I can feel it."

Jean hesitated slightly. "But Forge told us…"

She cut Jean off savagely. "Screw Forge. I do not believe him. I do not trust him or his story."

Jean sighed, looking at Ororo for several silent moments before she gave a slight nod. "What do you want me to do?"

Ororo pressed her advantage. "I want you examine Logan's body; if it is a clone and the adamantium skeleton has been faked, there should be some kind of proof. Give me something, anything that will convince Scott and the Professor to go down and save him."

"And if the body is his?"

"Then I want to go down there; I want to see the place where Forge said Logan was killed. I want to see the truth for myself."

Jean sighed again, turning to leave. "I'll talk to the professor." Ororo's voice stopped just as her hand reached out for the door.

"Jean, please keep this to yourself; I do not want Forge to know what we are doing until we have discovered the truth. I do not want to give him any warning when we spring our trap on him."

"You can't really believe we'll find him alive."

Ororo smiled, pulling the remnants of the dream around her tattered soul. It was like a balm to her bruised heart, soothing her, strengthening her resolve. "I believe in him Jean, I trust in him and his love for me. He would never have done what Forge claims he did; not like that. Logan is many things but he has never been a fool. And Forge's claims are those of a fool."

* * *

Jean sat inside the Professor's study, cradling a cup of cooling tea that she had yet to take a drink from. "I'm worried about her. She is experiencing severe denial and nothing I say can get through to her. I'm afraid she might hurt herself or someone else with these delusions." She turned worried eyes to their leader.

Xavier sighed loudly, setting his own cup of untouched tea aside. "We shall just have to keep an eye on her for the time being; give her a couple of days and then we shall see where we stand. She has suffered a very severe shock." He too was worried about Ororo, had in fact been watching her closely, feeling her emotional strain building as the days passed. He knew she was a strong woman, they all knew it, but there were limits within even the strongest of people. She was nearing a breaking point, they could all see it.

Knowing her as well as he did, as well as they all did, he knew well that the emotional storm she created three days ago was only the tip of the iceberg to her emotional depths. And he was afraid that the next time she found herself on the precipice, a mere step from stepping over and shattering on the rocks below, the resulting explosion would be far, far worse than a mere three day storm.

Jean sighed loudly, giving up the pretense of drinking her tea as she set it aside. "I know that, we all know that. But this dream she's had, I scanned her mind while we were talking and she sincerely believes what she's saying. She's adamant that Logan came to her in a dream and told her he was still alive."

"This is very disconcerting."

"I was going to ask you if you've used Cerbro to look for him." Xavier gave her a strange look. She reached out to take his hand. "I know Ororo, Charles. She's not one for tall tales. If she tells me the sky is green, I'm apt to believe her."

"She is a rather solid, dependable person, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. So maybe it might be a good idea to at least look." Xavier sighed. "Please Charles, all I'm asking is that you look for him."

Charles was silent for several moments, pondering Jean's words. Finally, he nodded. "Perhaps you're right, I shall head down to Cerebro right this moment."

Jean stood up, giving the older man a kiss on the cheek before walking away. "Thank you Charles."


	38. Sending in the Calvary

Summary: Ororo has told Jean about the dreams but will she listen? Or will Ororo be forced to drastic action? And who will come along for the ride if she does?

Author's Note: I have discovered that as much as I am addicted to my laptop, I really hate computers. Mine took the opportunity to crash (without a recent backup) and it took WAY too long to fix. Although I should be thankful, it made me rewrite this chapter and from a totally different angle than I originally intended. So here it is!! Read, review and enjoy!! Oh and the quote Hank speaks to Logan's body is from a poem by Lord Tennyson

* * *

Charles did do as promised, leaving his office the moment he finished speaking with Jean. He dscended down into the bowels of the mansion where Cerebro stood silent and gleaming. The door slid shut silently behind him as he wheeled himself to the end of the catwalk where the helmet sat on its pedestal in wait.

There was a small ray of hope in his heart as he placed the helmet on his head letting his mind clear before descending down to the mental state he needed to release his true potential. His eyes drifted shut as his mind reached outward, finding first the psychic signature of every mutant on the planet. Concentrating, he began to slowly narrow his search, parring away the mutants that did not match Logan's own particular brainwaves.

It was a strange sensation, searching through that sea of thoughts and energies. A tidae of sensation and emotions, not to mention thoughts and memories begging entrance into his mind. Whispering to him to let his guard down, let them be heard. But he ignored them with practiced ease and continued his search.

The dots upon the spherical walls of the chamber began winking out as he narrowed his search down tighter and tighter, his powerful mind discarding one after another in search of the single psychic signature he was seeking. It took him many long minutes, but at the end of that time, the walls were dark; there was no single light shining like a beacon to tell him that the one he sought had been found.

He sighed loudly as he pulled himself away from his connection with Cerebro and back into himself. He had so hoped that Jean might be right; that somehow Ororo was communicating with Logan on some level they were unaware. That somehow, Logan was still alive, despite the implications that brought to mind about Forge. But that hope seemed to be floundering now in the face of failure.

He was lifting the helm from his head, preparing to place it back on its stand and leave the chamber when a sudden thought occurred to him. Jean had said Ororo claimed a strange connection with Logan, that somehow he had in fact visited her in her dreams, urging her to come to the lab and rescue him.

At first glance both he and Jean were ready to dismiss Ororo's claims as nothing more than hallucinations brought on by her grief and denial. But something about the dreams, something about Ororo's faith in it struck a chord in Charles. He well knew of the love between Ororo and Logan; he had in fact encouraged it whenever given the chance. And now he wondered. Could that love be enough to bridge the distance between two psychically ungifted people?

He did not know but he knew that he had to find out. Suddenly determined, he slid the metal fixture back into place and quickly connected with the sophisticated machine. He descended again and went in search of some answers.

* * *

Xavier wasn't the only one with a need for answers. After speaking with Charles, Jean found herself feeling increasingly restless and frustrated. She wandered the mansion for nearly an hour looking for something to ease that restlessness when she suddenly found herself down in the medical lab, staring at the drawer where they had stored Logan's body.

They had held off burying or disposing of his remains for reasons that none of them seemed willing to admit out loud. They had all thought him nearly invincible; gifted by his very genetics to survive wounds and damage far beyond any other human. Now he was gone, killed by something as innocuous as a neural disruptor.

His death brought their own mortality home to all of them; the man was invincible, invulnerable and had an inner core of strength that as of yet had never been fully realized. If it could happen to him, gifted as he was, it could happen to anyone. None of them wanted to face that just yet.

Burying him would only add credence to the doubt they all felt. And in their line of work, doubt was a bigger killer than all of their enemies combined. Not to mention that none of them were willing to let go just yet. So they had hesitated, holding onto a body that gave them ties to the past. Because they had no idea of just how to let go.

Jean felt guilt wash over her as she stood there. They weren't the only ones that couldn't let go. Ororo too was still unable to believe that Logan was gone. Jean sighed softly as she recalled her friends words: _I believe in him Jean, I trust in him and his love for me. He would never have done what Forge claims he did; not like that. Logan is many things but he has never been a fool. And Forge's claims are those of a fool_.

Ororo trusted her, needed desperately to be believed. But did that mean that what she said was right? Could Forge be lying? Could Logan still be alive? And if he was, what did that mean about the body Forge had brought back? What did that mean about the story Forge had told them? Would it hurt so much to take a closer look, to be sure?

She shook her head slightly. If the professor was willing to give his time and effort to search with Cerebro, she could do no less with the skills she had at her disposal. Setting her face, she pulled open the drawer and drew out Logan's body. She had work to do.

* * *

Several hours later, Xavier pulled himself free of Cerebro, mentally and physically exhausted at the effort he'd just put in to untangle the truth of the supposed connection Ororo claimed to have with Logan. He had more questions than he started with.

He had begun with Ororo, largely because she was there and the most convenient place to begin. He examined her closely and to his surprise, she was serving as a psychic anchor of some sort. But what exactly that anchor was attached to he could not say. When he traced the connection back along its path, he found nothing. It just suddenly ended, in open space. He had no explanation for it and hours of searching had proven fruitless.

He desperately needed a break and perhaps a fresh perspective. So he decided to leave the puzzle for a moment and return to it after a short break. He quietly shut Cerebro down and exited the sphere, heading to his office.

Meanwhile, down in the medical lab, Jean herself had uncovered the beginnings of her own mystery. Upon preliminary examination, a strange anomaly had cropped up in the skeletal structure of the body Forge brought back.. Jean ran serveral tests hoping to track down the answers to explain what she was seeing but nothing seemed to pan out. She was just about to pull her hair out in frustration when Hank walked through the door.

"Hank, you're just the egghead I was hoping to see." Jean smiled as the blue-haired mutant came over to her.

He smiled at the redhead. "Ah, how nice it is to be wanted." He stepped closer, his eyes falling to the still form on the table. His eyes softened a bit as he glanced at the form of their fallen comrade. Then his voice filled the small room with its rich tones. "_For the sword outwears its sheath, and the soul wears out the breast. And the heart must pause to breathe, and love itself have rest_." After a moment, he pulled his eyes away and looked at Jean, standing there watching him quietly. "What might I help you with my dear?"

Jean cut straight to the chase. "Hank, I don't think this is Logan."

"What?" Hank looked at her, his face suddenly stilled at her surprising words.

Jean picked up her clipboard and showed him the strange results she had been getting. "I can't explain it but there's something here that shouldn't be. But I can't find it. I need your help."

Hank scanned the test results, his interest immediately piqued by them. "Fascinating. It seems we have quite the mystery on our hands."

Jean nodded. "Yes we do; can you help me figure it out?"

Hank nodded, setting the clipboard aside. "Gladly." He slipped into his lab coat and the two of them went back to work.

* * *

Both Jean and the professor soon became tied up in the sudden mysteries they found themselves in. So much so that both of them quickly lost track of time and forgot about Ororo. At least in so much as she was waiting impatiently for their responses. They needed so much to find answers for themselves and for her that it never occurred to them she might not wait, or that she might take their lack of response in the wrong way.

But Ororo was rapidly coming to the end of her rope. She knew deep in her heart that she was right, that Logan was still alive. The lack of response from both Jean and Xavier only served to enforce their denial in Ororo's mind. While denial might be helping both of them to deal with their own grief, it was not helping Ororo. In fact it was having quite the opposite effect on her psyche. She was becoming very, very angry.

Ororo waited, for two days she waited for word from either Jean or the professor. She really did not expect them to find him; whoever had put in the effort to capture Logan would most likely have him well and heavily shielded. And no matter Xavier's or Cerebro's power, he was most likely lost to them psychically.

Despite that thought, she waited and hoped. But two more days of hoping and praying, two more nights of restless sleep crowded with the vivid dream convinced her that neither the professor or Jean were willing to help her in this. So she would have to take matters into her own hands. The second day after speaking with Jean about the dreams, she did just that. Seeking out the one person in the mansion who might be willing to listen to her without thought.

Of all the others in the mansion, Marie was the only other person who knew Logan even better than she did. And of all the people in the mansion, she was the most likely to believe in what Ororo was telling her.

"I need your help." She approached Marie in one of the quiet hallways of the mansion near the library.

Marie stopped, her eyes heavy lidded with unshed tears and Ororo felt a surge of guilt at the sight. She had missed Marie's grieving, neglected to think of the young girl's pain. It had paled in comparision to her own, or so she had thought. Now faced with it, Ororo realized just how much Marie had loved Logan. And she was just as hurt by his loss as she herself was.

"What for?" Her voice was quiet, not carrying farther than the two of them.

Ororo stopped in the hall, looking Rogue in the eye as she jumped right to the point. "I need to steal the blackbird."

Rogue couldn't hide her surprise, her eyebrows rising alarmingly. "Ororo," Ororo cut her off.

"He is alive Marie, I know he is alive." She watched Marie hesitate a moment before she pressed on. "You know him Rogue better than anyone alive. You know he would never do what Forge claims he did. I have to be sure, I must know." Her voice was intense, imploring as she nearly begged the young woman to believe her. Oh how she needed _someone_ to believe her.

Marie hesitated only a moment longer, something changing in her face as she pondered Ororo's impassioned words. Then she seemed to make up her mind and gave a simple reply. "Alright, what do ya need me ta do?"

Ororo supressed a surge of hope at Marie's words and pressed on. "I need you to bypass the security codes on the blackbird and the hangar doors." Rogue was very gifted with security systems and lockpicking; she was one of Ororo's prized students in that regard and Ororo had no issues that what she asked would be beyond the young woman.

Rogue nodded, her mind already beginning to ponder the problems that she might face. "Ah might be able to handle the doors. But the jet might be beyond me." She shrugged. "If it is, Ah'll ask Kitty to help me."

Ororo smiled slightly at the idea of the two teenagers working on the problem. "I suppose it goes without saying that the less who know about this, the better."

Rogue chuckled. "Don't worry bout us sugah, we'll be careful." She sobered as the seriousness of the situation came crashing back down on them both. "What are ya gonna do once ya have it?"

Ororo sighed. "I am going to go down there and find him and bring him home."

Marie looked shocked again. "Alone?"

Ororo nodded. Her mind was made up. Jean and Xavier had chosen their paths; hers was not going to be the same. "Yes" A soft voice interrupted her from several feet away. Ororo whirled around to see Jimmy standing behind them

"No." He stepped up to them, his eyes never leaving Ororo's.

She looked at him in surprise; she had never even sensed his presence. She wondered how long he had been standing there. "Jimmy," she got no further.

"He saved my life Ororo. I owe him this." His eyes still bored into hers.

Ororo found herself unable to look away from his intense gaze. She had no idea of how to respond to his words. Before she could think of something, anything that might placate him, Marie spoke again.

"Please Ororo, he means something ta us too." She reached out to touch Ororo's arm gently.

Ororo looked at her, seeing the grief again on her face, feeling the guilt at having missed it, in both of them. Could she say anything to change their minds? Could she justify risking her own life but telling them it was too dangerous for them? How could she even contemplate telling them that when they were both nearly team members in their own rights.

The truth was, she could not and they both knew it. So she gave in to inevitable. "Very well. Here is what I want to do. Rogue, once I have cleared the mansion, you and Jimmy will meet me twenty minutes south of here at the barn on the old Johnston party. I shall be waiting for you there." She gave them both stern stares. "Lay low until I tell you otherwise; no pranks, no trouble. I want no one to know about any of this or connect either of you to it. Am I understood?" The both nodded and she stepped away from them satisfied.

"Good luck Ororo." Marie called after her as she walked off.

Ororo snorted quietly, calling back. "Wish me luck when we have managed to pull this off and the jet is in our hands."

* * *

Ororo braced herself to wait several more days for results from Marie. She used the first few hours prepping a few minor things she knew she would need on the mission. But once that ran off, she feared she might go crazy. But as it turned out, she did not have long to wait. Marie came to her late that night, while she sat quietly in her room contemplating whether or not to use the sedative Hank gave her.

There was a quiet knock on her door. "Yes?"

Marie opened the door and slipped inside. She handed Ororo a large manilla folder. "Here."

Ororo looked at it questioningly as she began slowly leafing through it. "What is this?"

"Everthing Forge had access to in the lab."

Ororo looked at her in shock. "Where on Earth did you get this? Did you hack Forge's laptop?"

Marie sighed loudly. "No, unfortunately Forge was a bit smarter than Ah gave him credit for. He didn't have a damn bit of useful info on it."

"Then how did you get this?" She waved the folder at Marie.

Marie smiled. "Kitty used his laptop to hack into the lab."

Ororo sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as an image of just what might have happened had they been caught flashed through her mind. "Not exactly subtle was it?"

"Hank was good enough to distract him down in the dangerroom for us."

"Marie." Ororo gave her a quelling look. It did little to stop the young woman's enthusasim.

"Don't worry, we were careful; Kitty covered her tracks." She watched as Ororo began leafing through the folder once more. She and Kitty had read most of what it contained and most of it was not pretty. "Ororo, yer not gonna like what we found."

Ororo paused, feeling vindicated and horrified all in the same instant. "He lied to us."

Marie nodded. "Yeah; he's been plannin' this fer awhile. He's the one behind the Canadian lab too." Her voice was quiet as she dropped that final bombshell, both of them knowing just what that meant. He was responsible for the hell Jimmy had been forced to endure.

Ororo nearly threw the folder across the room. "Damn him, damn him, damn him." It was not enough for the man to destroy her life twice, but he also had to destroy the life of an innocent child. The man had no soul. A sudden light appeared in her mind as a thought occurred to her. "That means that Logan is alive."

Marie shrugged, sitting down on Ororo's bed. "Ah don't know fer sure Ororo. Kitty and Ah searched every nook and cranny of that lab for proof that he was there. But if they've got him, they've buried it deep. Ah even tried his dog tags, hopin' it was an American operative number or somethin'. All we hit was a clearance wall for the Weapons X project in Canada."

Ororo dug through the folder again. "Surely they have data about current projects."

Marie nodded. "Yeah they do and they only have one runnin' right now: codenamed Stryker. Ah can't tell ya what it is, but Ah can tell ya one thing, its drawing a ton of power from their generator."

Ororo closed the folder, her mind made up. "We have to go down there, even if we do not know for sure."

Marie nodded. "Ah agree. There's just one problem."

"What might that be?"

"The cure exists; it's a neurological field designed to block the specific brain wave patterns of mutants. Its supposed to block off the part of our brains we use ta access and control our powers. In effect we're shut off from them. It affects a 2 mile radius from the lab."

Ororo sighed loudly. If they were unable to use their powers to gain entry, how in the world were they going to free Logan? "That could present a bit of a problem. But we have no choice, we have to go. How soon can Kitty throw the switch?" Her mind was made up; she would take care of the field when they got there.

"She's got everything set and ready to go, she's just waitin' fer the word from ya."

"How soon can you and Jimmy be ready?"

"We've been ready to go since the moment ya asked."

"Good, talk to Kitty, I need her to be ready to flip the switch in exactly thirty minutes. That should give me enough time to get my things. I shall be waiting for you and Jimmy at the farm."

"We'll be there." Marie left the room.

* * *

After Marie left, Ororo threw on her robe before leaving her room. She felt a surge of energy fill her as she descended into the bowels of the mansion to gather her uniform and gear. She made one stop before she went into the basement; dropping off the folder containing the information that Kitty and Rogue had gathered on the lab and on Forge on Xavier's desk. She hoped he would find it quickly.

She left the room, hurrying to the locker room where she donned her uniform quickly. She then hurried to the hangar doors, waiting several moments while she stared at the resting form of the blackbird just beyond. This was the final step, once she pushed through those doors there was no turning back. She would be committed.

Despite her conviction that Logan was alive, she still felt a bit of hesitation on taking that final step. She would be crossing a very distinct line and no matter the outcome, it was a bit of a difficult thing for her to do. But what else was left her? Jean and Xavier had made it very clear that her visions were little more than grief induced hallucinations. They had forced her hand in this, they were the reason she was forced to this extreme.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the doors and stepped quickly towards the jet. She had broken the law before; had stolen to stay alive when she was little more than a child. This was no different; the need beyond it even more pressing than a child's survival. This time she was ensuring the survival of her very soul.

She walked up the ramp, moving quickly to the front cabin. She sat down, mentally noting the time and realizing that if Kitty had done as asked, she had thrown the switch almost two minutes before. Sending a silent prayer to the goddess, she began flicking switches, powering the jet up for take off before keying in the coded sequence to the recently repaired hangar doors.

They swung open quickly and she lifted the jet into the air, mentally ticking off the seconds in her mind before she knew Scott would contact her. She had barely reached ten when the com beeped loudly at her.

His voice filled the cabin in clipped tones. "Cyclops to Storm, just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

She continued to lift the jet keeping her voice calm and even. "I am going to find him Scott. I'm going to find him and bring him home."

There was a pause and muffled curse over the speaker before he came back on. "Dammit Storm, bring the Blackbird back here; that's an order."

Even though he could not see her, she shook her head. "I cannot do that. He is still alive and I am not going to rest until I bring him back home. Forgive me Scott." She cut the channel with a savage gesture even as she pushed the throttle forward, leaving the mansion quickly behind.

* * *

Back in the mansion, Scott swore loudly as the blackbird quickly left their sensor range. He punched another button angrily as Jean and Hank came into the room. "Scott to Xavier, Ororo has just taken off with the blackbird!" He turned to them. "I can't believe she did this! What the hell is the matter with her?"

Jean reached out to touch his arm gently. "The same thing that should be wrong with us. She might be right Scott."

"What're you talking about Jean?" No one failed to hear his exasperated tone.

Jean gave him a stern look, her arms crossed over her chest. "Hank and I spent the last two days examing the body Forge brought back. Whoever it is, it isn't Logan."

At just that moment, Charles wheeled himself into the room. "What did you find Jean?"

Jean looked at Hank who simply nodded. "Over the years that Logan's been with us, we've scanned him numerous times. And those scans have shown us that the adamantium grafted to his skeleton has a very specific density and composition to it. In effect, it has a specific signature. In fact, because the metal is so very rare, every batch ever refined is unique." She paused for a moment as Hank took over, stating what they both had concluded just an hour before.

"The batch used on this body does not match what we know about the adamantium in Logan."

Xavier was silent for several moments, the sudden implications forming in his mind even as he asked. "How is that possible?"

"The most likely explanation would be a clone." Hank stated baldly.

Xavier nodded to himself, his mind pondering the problem. "The only way they could have grown a clone of Logan so quickly would have been to accelerate its development."

"Yes, but that's not a good idea. The accelerated process would have left the clone in little more than a vegetative state. Its mind would have been scrambled; it wouldn't have been viable." Hank held up his hands questioningly. "What would be the point?"

A terrible thought suddenly occurred to Jean. "Maybe that was the point. If the objective was to make us believe Logan was dead, what better way than to make a clone of him, duplicate the adamantium bonding process on it and then kill it? With Logan presumed dead, they could study him at their leisure and we would be none the wiser."

Scott scoffed loudly, unable to hide his disbelief. "Professor you can't seriously believe this nonsense."

Xavier looked thoughtful for several moments before shaking his head slowly. "No Scott, Jean raises a valid point. We all know that several governments have tried and failed many times to capture Logan to determine just how he survived the process that gave him his unique skeletal structure. What if it was Forge's plan to come here and lure Logan away in the hopes of capturing him?"

Another issue occurred to Hank. "But that would mean that Forge had to have planned this for a fairly decent amount of time. Even with the accelerated growth, the clone wouldn't have been the right age for at least two years."

Jean quickly picked up his train of thought. "And if this was Forge's plan all along…"

Scott finished the statement, the thought horrifying them all. "Then he's been using us from the beginning."

Hank sighed loudly as the last of it clicked into place. "And getting Ororo back was just a diversion to keep us from wondering just what in blue blazes was going on."

Xavier nodded. "Yes, it was." He held up the manilla folder Rogue had handed Ororo only an hour before. "Ororo left this on my desk before she left." He handed it to Scott who began scanning it even as Xavier continued talking. "It gives details about the lab and its current porjects. There is a cure, but no group of young mutant guinea pigs as we were led to believe. There is also mention of the lab in Canada where Jimmy was held and Logan susequently destroyed when he realized they had rediscovered the adamantium process they used on him." He paused as he let the final implication slide home. "And that means Forge has betrayed one of our own and imprisoned him. And Ororo has rushed off to rescue him alone."

"Xavier, what's our next step?" Scott looked up from the folder, a sick expression on his face.

Xavier sighed softly, feeling a bit of a headache coming on at the sudden wave of stress. "First and foremost, we keep this all to ourselves, no sense in revealing our hand just yet. But lets keep a close eye on our guest for the time being. Ensure that he does not leave the mansion for the next few days. I have a distinct feeling that when Ororo returns, she will want to speak to the man."

"And then what do we do?"

"The only thing we can do Scott, we wait and we pray."


	39. Reunion

Summary: Ororo has stolen the jet and is on her way to rescue Logan with a little help from Rogue and Jimmy. But can the 3 of them do it on there own? And when they get there will Ororo step over a line she never thought she'd cross?

Author's Note: Here we go, ch 39. Not much more to go here folks. Thanks for all the reviews so far they've really helped me push on to finish this.

* * *

Ororo sat in the cockpit of the blackbird heading to the farm where she had told Rogue and Jimmy to meet her. It was quiet in the cockpit, the only sounds coming from the various instruments used to fly the sophisticated jet. Under normal circumstances she enjoyed silence; it gave her time to think, to sort out her mind and her heart. But this was different; this was unnerving.

Trying to settle her nerves, she pushed the paranoia aside and reached out to make a minor adjustment to one of those instruments off to her right. She nearly jumped out of her seat when she heard someone speak just behind her.

"Where you be hurrying off to Stormy?"

She swallowed a scream, pulled back the lightning bolt she instinctively began to hurl and whirled on her brother. "By the Goddess Remy, you just scared ten years off my life." She glared at him, watching as he sat down next to her in the co-pilot seat. "What are you doing here?"

Remy shrugged, looking over the instruments of the jet. "Rogue came to Remy saying dat she was leaving and she would be back. Den Remy see her talking quietly wit Kitty and he hears dem talk about da blackbird. Remy also see Rogue heading up to your room and den leaving. All dis make Remy very suspicious." He gave her a rather crooked grin as he leaned the chair back as far as it would go.

Despite the gravity of the situation and where they were headed off to, she smiled at him. "You are far too paranoid for your own good dear brother."

He chuckled. "Dat does not change da fact dat Remy is here, wit you and you have stolen da blackbird."

Ororo sighed. "No, it does not."

"Ororo, what are you doing?" His voice was soft, his strange red eyes alight from the instruments around him.

Ororo felt fresh tears fill her eyes as she confessed. "He is alive Remy. I know he is, I felt him." Her hands tightened on the controls of the jet as she fought to keep from crying again.

There was a long pause from him and for a moment she began to doubt that he would believe her. Then his soft voice filled the cockpit again. "You are sure?"

She turned to look at him, her conviction firming her gaze. "Yes, I am."

This time Remy looked confused. "But why steal da jet? Surely da professor would help you if'n you asked."

Ororo shrugged, feeling a new wave of anger wash over her the whole incident. "I tried Remy, I swear I did. But neither him nor Jean believed me; I had no choice. I had to do this." She turned her attention back to flying the jet.

"Why did you not ask Remy to come?" This time there was a tone of hurt in his voice and when she looked at him again, there was strange emotion dancing in his eyes.

Ororo felt a touch of shame at his question. She in fact had thought to ask him to help her but discarded the idea at the memory of just how the two men had gotten along. "Because I was not sure that you would come." She knew she did not need to explain why she thought that.

Remy was quiet for several long moments, thinking before he responded to her words. "Remy does not like da man, dat is true. But Remy has made his peace wit him; and if his return will bring back da light in your eyes, den Remy would walk t'rough hell itself to bring him back to you."

Touched and near tears once more, Ororo reached out to take her brother's hand. "Careful brother dear, someone might accuse you of caring."

He chuckled, giving her hand a firm squeeze. "Heaven forbid."

* * *

Ororo landed the jet at the farm a few moments later. Not even bothering to shut the engines down as she simply lowered the rear hangar door and listened to Rogue and Jimmy scramble up the gangplank.

Rogue was in the lead and she stopped in surprise when she saw just who was sitting in the co-pilot chair in the jet. "Remy?"

He turned, giving her his best devilish smile. "_Oui_ petite. Did you really tink Remy would sit dis one out?"

She walked into the cockpit as Ororo raised the door and prepared to take off. "No, but Ah didn't think you'd come."

He simply shrugged. "Remy is here."

Rogue smiled and reached out to touch his face with her gloved hand. "Yeah you are. Thank you." She turned to Ororo as the jet lifted. "So, what's the plan?"

Ororo waved her to sit down as she pushed the jet forward. "I looked over the file you gave me and I think I have an idea. You said that the cure field only affected a two mile radius around the lab, correct?."

Rogue rolled her eyes at Ororo's gesture but did as she was told, buckling herself into the nearest seat. "Yeah; we won't be able ta get close enough ta shut it down."

Ororo gave a strange smile. "Shut it down, no; but then again, I do not plan to be so subtle as to simply shut it down. I am going to destroy the generator before I am affected by the field. Jimmy, when the generators go down I want you and Rogue to go inside and search for Logan; find him and get him out." They nodded and she turned to her brother. "Remy, I'll need you outside with me helping to create enough chaos to distract them and keep them from discovering Rogue and Jimmy's search efforts."

"What'll you be doing?" Jimmy asked quietly.

Ororo hands tightened on the controls once more as she told them the rest of her plan. "Providing the distraction you need by bringing the lab down around their ears." She felt a surge of satisfaction at the idea of destroying the lab.

Rogue gave a startled cry, leaping out of her seat. "What?"

"Ororo you cannot be serious." Remy could not hide his surprise.

She shook her head, looking at both of them; only Jimmy had remained silent at her exclamation. "I am deadly serious. This is the only way I can think of to do this and do this quickly. We will lose the element of surprise rather quickly here. In any event, I want this lab out of commission so it can do nothing more to harm another mutant." She turned from the concerned faces staring at her and stared out the windshield of the jet. "Now get ready, I shall land outside the field radius in order to destroy the generators; we should be there in twenty minutes." She saw Rogue give Remy a worried glance before sitting back down. The weight of the glance was not lost on her.

A few moments later proved her right as Remy leaned closer to speak urgently at her. "Ororo, you be sure dis is da way to free Logan?"

For a moment, she played dumb and pretended to misunderstand just what he was asking. "What choice do we have Remy? We could try to sneak in, but with no weapons and without our powers, we are badly outnumbered. The only chance we have is to destroy the generator. Once we do that, they shall know we are there."

But Remy was not fooled. He leaned closer, touching her arm. "Remy not talking 'bout da generators. You be sure dat destroying da lab da best option?"

Her mouth tightened. "Yes, I do."

Remy touched her again, his eyes boring into her face. "Ororo, it be a fine line between freeing Logan and getting revenge on dose who held him."

Ororo felt her face tighten as a new wave of anger washed over her. She was afraid she would not be able to hide this from him. But she could not help the way she felt, she wanted them all dead and destroyed. Somehow she would have to overcome this and keep it hidden long enough from every one else to do so.

She turned to face him, determined to keep the darkening depths of her soul from his prying eyes. "I am well aware of that brother. In any event, I shall have my revenge the moment I bring Logan back to the mansion to face Forge." She turned back to flying the jet the matter settled in her mind. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Remy stared at her for a moment or two longer before settling back in his seat.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Ororo was unknowingly setting the jet down in a clearing very close to the one Forge had used when he and Logan were there just a week or so before. She shut the jet down, using the cloaking device to keep it hidden from any sensor equipment they might be using at the lab. Then turned to the others waiting patiently in the main cabin.

"It will take me a few minutes to call up a storm strong enough to destroy the generators; Rogue I need you to help guide my efforts. I need to be sure we destroy them as quickly as possible."

The young woman stood up and went to the radar panel in cockpit to monitor Ororo's efforts. "Ah'm on it Ororo."

"Good, be ready to move once I am finished; we may not have much time." She stepped down out of the jet, moving away from it to give herself some space to work her elemental magic.

She stood there a moment, slowly letting her powerful mind reach out to the elemental currents around her and begin manipulating them. Her blue eyes slowly clouded over as she descended into the depths of her gift, reaching out to touch the very molecules of air around her. She forced it to condense, to absorb moisture as she forced it to slowly begin rotating.

She could feel it building, the storm forming and growing as she fed it with her will. Then, she pushed it off, sending it on its way to the lab. She well knew they would see it coming, their radar clearly showing it to them as they went about their vigilant watch. But there would be nothing they could about it and no defense against. The Earth itself would be her weapon and it was one she would gladly set against the seemingly toy-like weapons of man.

For several long moments, she stood there, her mind floating along with the storm as she continued to force it to grow. It sped along faster than any normal storm as it built and in minutes it was over the lab where it seemed to stall and hang over the installation. Ororo smiled softly as she let go of her tethers on it and let the storm break.

It rained, it hailed and the wind roared as the lightning flashed and the thunder crashed over the government building. She felt each flash of lightning, each peal of thunder and each drop of rain and hail as they hit against the side of the building. It was an illuminating sensation as she tried to pin down just where the generators lay. After a moment she heard Rogue speaking in her ear.

"Sixth degrees south Ororo and you'll be spot on."

Ororo murmured something and turned her attention back to the generators destruction. Diving into the storm, she could feel herself hovering just over the lab as she searched where Rogue had told her the generators lay. Then, suddenly she could feel them, their electricity causing a strange distortion in the air around them as they influenced the very magnetic field around them.

She raised her hands, letting the electricity build and build beyond any normal bolt of lightning. She let go, calling it down to that exact spot, feeling it course through the air to strike the ground and building below. There was a sharp retort, almost like a pop in the elements around her as the building nearly exploded and caught fire.

Pleased with her efforts, Ororo pulled away from the storm allowing it to continue blowing itself out over the lab as she came back to herself and let her influence over the elements wan. The chaos the storm created would likely increase and help them a great deal in the fight to come.

She turned to find the others standing outside the jet waiting patiently to finish. "Did it work?"

Marie nodded. "You got 'em. The lab is powering down. They'll have no choice but ta keep the field inactive; without the generators they just don't have the power to keep it up."

"Then we had best get in there before they manage to collect themselves and somehow prepare for our arrival." With that she took to the air and watched as Marie did the same, carrying both Remy and Jimmy.

* * *

Logan was in his cell, lying on the bunk, his body healing agonizingly slow from the latest round of "slash and dash" experiments as he called them. They kept his healing factor just active enough to keep from dying from either his bones or the experiments; but what would normally taking minutes to heal was now taking hours and it was sheer agony.

He lay there feeling his flesh reknitting itself slowly, feeling the hope he'd held inside of him for days beginning to dwindle. They were going to break him soon if he couldn't escape and he wasn't sure just how much longer he could hold on. The dreams continued to plague him at night, and he knew that Ororo could feel his desperation. But there was still no signs of rescue from the mansion. For the first time since his capture, he began to doubt he'd ever escape.

There was a sudden commotion outside his cell and he could hear alarms sounding in the distance. He stood, wincing in pain wondering just what was causing the problem when everything went black. In that instant, he felt his gift flair to life, his body suddenly healing, true and strong once more. Someone had shut the field down.

He gave a soft growl, feeling the beast within him awake from hiding. It surged upwards, filling him with a fierce and savage need to commit violence and maim those around him. With a fierce smile, he unsheathed his claws, attacking the cell door with savage glee. It opened and he was in the hallway, using his hyper senses to find his first victim. It felt good to be free.

* * *

Ororo flew directly over the lab, all pretense and stealth cast aside as she prepared herself for the melee ahead. She hovered over the insidious building, feeling the storm circling around her, pleasd that it picked up speed in strength in response to her strong emotions. She reached out gathering the elements to her bidding and set about the destruction of the lab.

She was a raging avenging angel, descending from the sky with all of the elements at her command and she was terrifying to behold. She used lightning and whips of air to disable all the guard outposts, leaving gaping holes in the perimeter fencing. Then she turned her attention to the soldiers brave enough to engage her, their weapons targeting her as she flew through the sky.

Surrounding herself with a rolling round vortex of air, she deflected their bullets easily. Then she used rain and hail to drive them away, even chasing them with small bolts of lightning when they dared try to stand their ground against her. There were not many that dared after the first few bolts took out their fellows.

More than pleased by the outcome, she glanced down to see Remy among the soldiers spreading chaos and destruction wherever he could. Throwing his charged cards and exploding weapons through his touch whenever someone got too close. Satisfied that Remy was not in any danger, she continued sweeping through the complex searching for something else to destroy.

* * *

Inside the lab, Logan ran through the halls searching for a way out. He came around a corner, his claws free and ready as his nose told him that a group of guards were waiting. He gave a savage growl as they came into view and opened fire.

He was on them in seconds, slashing and stabbing as they fought to keep him at bay. The last guard dropped his gun and tried to run. But Logan jumped on him from behind and savagely impaled him, his teeth bared as the man fell. He pulled his claws free with a satisfied wrench as sounds of fighting outside the lab reached his ears. He stood, feeling the bullets he'd been hit with working their way free and raining down onto the floor like steel rain.

He inhaled deeply, smelling ozone as thunder began shaking the building. He felt a surge of hope fill him as he realized just what that meant. "Ororo." He took off down the hall at a dead run, the beast inside him pushing against him in its own eagerness to be reunited with its mate.

* * *

Outside the lab, Ororo flew through the sky, searching the perimeter of the lab for movement, keeping her eyes peeled for Rogue and Jimmy as well as trouble. As she passed the north end of the lab, something caught her eye. She slowly began releasing the winds and began descending.

It was a lone figure, bent low, an arm wrapped around its middle as it slunk from the lab and made for the tree line several hundred yards away. Stunned, she recognized the figure as Logan and she let go of the wind around her completely, nearly falling from the sky to reach him.

She was only a few feet from the ground and him when she heard a loud, sharp series of bangs she dimly recognized as gunshots and watched as Logan crumpled to the ground. He did not get up. Ororo gave a sharp cry, swooping across the final few feet to reach him, just as the soldiers that had been chasing him reached them both. She watched them bring their weapons to bear as she landed softly.

"Freeze mutant." The first one shouted at her,

She smiled at them wryly, feeling the rage lighting within her once more. "With pleasure." She flung her hands at them and they were suddenly engulfed in a raging, freezing blizzard.

They both cried out in shock, one of them dropping his weapon as the temperature around them plummeted and they were pelted with larger and larger chunks of ice. The other one found himself unable to let go of his weapon as the metal was suddenly frozen to his hands.

For just a moment she felt a twinge of guilt at hurting another human being. This was not her, this was not what she did. But then, she found her glance drawn down to where Logan lay at her feet, still unmoving and she felt all compassion for these men wither and die in her chest.

She was dimly aware that with the field disabled, his healing factor was likely working full force once more. And for him, something as serious as several gunshots would prove child's play for said healing factor. She knew all of this, was well aware of it but it did not matter to her. In her mind there was only one truth that spoke out above all others; they had hurt him.

Everyone had a price, a threshold where their ethics would be forced to change or be discarded for someone or something else. So far she had never been forced to discover just what her price was; never been forced to face the precipice she knew was inside of her own soul. Until that moment, everything still remained clear cut and black and white. She did not kill, she would not kill, she could not kill.

But as she caught sight of Logan's still body, the grief and rage from his supposed death still so fresh in her mind, she knew she was now facing that choice inside herself; this was her price. Something in her snapped as she found herself unable to hold onto her noble ideals and she simply let go. In that instant, her convictions evaporated under the fire of her rage. In a split second, she stepped over the edge and fell into the abyss.

She lifted her hands again and with a flick of her wrist, she lashed out as Logan had taught her, a whip of pure air slicing at the men in front of her, their cries suddenly becoming a soothing balm to her tortured soul.

"Did you enjoy torturing him?" She slashed at them again. They both tried to protect themselves from attacks they could not see coming. "Did his cries for mercy fall on deaf ears?" Again, another slash. "Did you enjoy treating him like an animal? Did you enjoy his pain?" She listened to their cries of pain as she continued her assault, rage filling her with an icy light. She watched as one of them fell to his knees, begging her to stop. But she turned deaf ears to his cries. They had not shown him mercy so she would show them none.

She felt a hand reach out and touch her shoulder gently. Surprised she looked back to see Logan standing behind her, his beloved face set in lines of pain but otherwise whole. She felt fresh tears flowing down her face at the pain she knew he was in even as she continued pelting the soldiers in front of her with ice and cold.

He gave her a slight shake, nodding at the men in front of them. "'Ro, don't do this. Let it go. Let them go."

She turned her attention back to the soldiers, feeling her face twist in anger at what they had done. She twisted her hands, feeling the wind howl louder and blow even harder. "They hurt you. They tortured you. They caused you pain, so I will cause them the same pain." Her face relaxed as a sense of icy calm came over her. She clenched her hands slightly making the air around the two men thicken, tighten and compress. All the while, tears slid down her face, to fall frozen and unnoticed to the ground below.

She watched dispassionately as the temperature continued to fall and the snow thickened. The two men before her fell to the ground, huddling there as their shivering intensified. Frost formed around their mouths and noses as they struggled to breath. One of them, unable to take it anymore fell face first to the ground, passing out from the extreme temperature.

Behind her, Logan stepped closer, reaching out to grab her shoulder gently. She turned to face him, her face set in enraged lines, her eyes lost in the milky white influence of her powers.

"'Darlin', 'Ro, This ain't you. I'm alright." His voice was soft and tender.

Her chin quivered as she to face the men trapped before her. "They hurt you." Her voice broke slightly as she struggled for control.

Logan reached out to touch her face, turning her chin to face him. He looked her in the eyes, his voice gentle and hoarse but firm. "Storm," he paused, stroking her cheek gently as he called her back from the brink. "Ororo, I'm alright. Let it go, let them go."

Her lips pulled down slightly as their quivering increased. She fought his words for a moment, afraid to let them in, to let go of the rage filling her heart. But his voice was insidious and it found its way into her heart. He was right, this was not something she could do, this was something she had fought all her life to keep from doing.

He was alive, he was whole and she was a fool to want to hurt someone else for something Forge was responsible for. Without a word, she dropped her hands releasing her control. The blizzard simply stopped, the temperature quickly climbing back to normal. She watched with a touch of guilt as the second soldier collapsed next to the first.

She turned slowly to face Logan, suddenly afraid that he might disappear. She reached out touch him slowly, her hand shaking as she touched his face and he did not disappear. Fresh tears flowed down her face unnoticed as she watched him lean into her touch. For too long, she had thought to never feel his cheek upon her hand again, never again see his steel gray eyes filled with the love he felt for her; never again see his beloved face or hear his gravelly voice. And from the look on his face he felt the same way.

"Logan, Logan. I thought you were dead. Dear Goddess, I thought you were dead."

He reached out, drawing her close. He clung to her, wrapping his arms around her as tight as he dared. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. He reached out, touching her face gently, brushing the tears from her cheeks. "I ain't dead darlin'."

She smiled feeling joy filling her heart once more. "I can see that." And amidst the carnage around them, amidst the wreckage of the lab and the dim sounds of gunfire and fighting still going on, she wrapped her arms around him and began laughing.


	40. Justice

Summary: Ororo has found Logan and with the others, they return to the mansion to confront their betrayer. Will Forge survive the Wolverine's rage? And Ororo has something important she wants to discuss with Logan but its not exactly what you might think.

Author's note: This is it folks, we're down to the wire. There's only 1 final chapter left for me to write. And I can promise, that now that my harddrive is finally behaving (it should its brand new!!), my field season is finally over and I am finally recovering from a seriously bad, bad summer, it will be no time at all until I finish the epilogue. So please, read and enjoy and review.

* * *

Ororo's laughter faded slowly as Logan held her, neither of them willing or even able to let go for several moments. They both needed this, desperately. After what they had both been through in the past couple of weeks, there was a deep seated need to reconnect on a very primal level. And so, they stood there holding each other amidst the carnage and chaos around them.

After what seemed like an eternity, Logan felt the beast within him give a great sigh and slowly descend down to its lair, somewhere in the depths of his subconscious. He felt the last of his anger and rage simply leave him, leaving behind a wave of serenity allowing the horror and pain of his capture and imprisonment to begin fading. And while the remnants of the experience would always be with him, it was more like a shade, a shadow than a true memory.

In time the memory would continue to fade even more and perhaps even disappear into the depths of his mind if he allowed it to. And it was all simply due to her presence, the feel of her pressed against him. For the first time since he was betrayed, he felt hope welling up inside of him. No matter what the world might hold in store for them, no matter what the future might bring, they would weather it together and they would be stronger for it.

He was brought back to himself when he felt her shift in his arms, pulling away from him slightly to gaze lovingly into his face. There were still tears slowly sliding down her face but she seemed to be collecting herself quickly. He let his arms drop and simply stared at her as she reached up to touch her shoulder where her communicator was housed and called the others.

"Jimmy, Rogue, I have him. Regroup on the north side of the complex. I am going to start demolishing the building as soon as you are clear."

There was a slight pause before Rogue responded. "Copy that Storm; we'll be waiting fer ya'll"

Logan looked at Ororo in askance as she cut the channel. "Ya plannin' on destroyin' somethin' darlin'?"

She nodded. "Yes, I want to be sure that this place is never again used to hurt another person, human and mutant alike." Her lips were pressed tightly together and the muscles in her face twitched slightly.

He gave her a long searching look before simply nodding and standing back. If anyone could understand the anger and pain she was currently feeling, it was him. He might normally have argued caution but the look on her face and the tension in her shoulders all told him that it was one argument he would not only lose, but also one he might truly regret having with her.

She gave him a gentle smile, squeezing his shoulder gently in gratitude before lifting from the ground to hover over the lab that had been his prison for the past several days. He could feel the change in pressure as she took control of the elements and bent them to her bidding. The sky darkened and the wind picked up speed as she ascended into the sky until he could barely make her out against the grayish-black clouds.

Moments later, Logan felt the hair on the back of his neck stand to attention as the inky black sky was split by the biggest bolt of lightening he had ever seen. It struck the lab dead center, vanishing in a blinding flash of light only to leave a burning, hazy path in its wake. A split second later a deafening crack of thunder nearly deafened him, shaking the very ground under his feet.

Logan dropped the hand shielding his eyes and watched as the building began to burn, several small explosions rocking the complex as the fire grew. He expected Ororo to land next to him and simply watch the building burn but she did not. A few minutes later, the wind went suddenly still and Logan watched in amazement as a funnel cloud built over the complex and touched down.

It rotated faster and faster, building and building as it tore through the complex but never left its spot. The cloud of debris grew and grew until he could no longer see the ruins through it. As it died down, Logan realized that the debris simply floated to surround the crater that had once housed the government lab. She had maintained control over it the entire time and not a single piece has escaped her to harm anyone around them.

He gave a soft whistle as the wind died down and Ororo landed gently next to him. She stood there with him, staring at the destroyed complex, her face still and set, her emotions well hidden behind the mask she showed the rest of the world. But Logan knew her too well to believe the blank lines of her face. He knew that she was very shaken by what she had nearly done all for love of him.

He reached out, touching her shoulder as she continued to stare at the circle of debris in front of them; silently offering her all the love and support in his heart. She grabbed his hand, smiling at him in gratitude as she continued contemplating the destruction a moment longer. Then, he pulled her away from the carnage and they went to meet the others.

They made their way to the north side of the complex, their passage unmolested by the few people still left. It seemed that there were few willing to challenge them after witnessing Ororo's display of power in destroying the building. They approached the tree line and Logan heard Rogue before he saw her, her piercing shriek was a welcome sound to his sensitive ears.

"Logan!" She flew up to him, embracing him tightly, before bursting into quiet sobs.

He hugged her back just as fiercely, his voice gruff and low. "Hey kid."

She pulled back, looking him over for damage. "Logan…"

He chuckled and just hugged her again. He had a pretty good idea what she was going to say but he didn't need to hear it. "Its ok kid, I'm glad ta see ya too." He looked past her to see Jimmy waiting silently behind her. Logan let go of Rogue and gave the young mutant an affectionate cuff on the shoulder. "Hey Jimmy."

Jimmy simply nodded. "Hey Logan, its good to have you back." There were tears in his eyes as well and Logan smiled.

"Yeah, and thanks fer comin' ta get me outta here."

Jimmy smiled and nodded. "I owed you."

Logan shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not; but thanks just the same." He caught a subtle scent and turned, surprised to see Remy standing in the shadows of the forest. Of all the people he expected to have come to his rescue, Remy was not one of them. They had not parted well and things were still unsure between them. But perhaps that was about to change.

He stilled, nodding his head slightly at the Cajun. "Gambit."

Remy answered the slight nod with one of his own. "Wolverine." Remy approached him, looking him over carefully. "Remy glad to see you in one piece." His tone was pleasant and mild.

The tension flowed out of Logan as he simply nodded. Things were going to be just fine between them. "Yeah, me too." He reached out and offered his hand to the young man. After a moment, Remy took it and shook it firmly.

Smiling, Ororo stepped up to them all, her hand finding Logan's. "Let's get back to the blackbird, shall we?" There were collective nods from the others. "Rogue, can you take Remy and Jimmy back?"

"Yeah."

"Then let us be off." And she wrapped her arm around Logan's waist before lifting them both into the air. Leaving behind the debris from the destroyed lab and a group of soldiers and scientists who had witnessed something no one would ever believe.

Several moments later, the blackbird took off with Remy and Rogue at the controls. In the rear of the jet, Logan rested on one of the gurneys as Ororo inserted an IV into his arm. His wounds were healing well but he was showing signs of severe fatigue not to mention malnutrition and dehydration. It seemed that they had severely taxed his reserves in the past couple of weeks.

Ororo smiled as she taped the tube into place, running her hand gently over his chest and face. "Is that better my love?"

He gave her a soft smile, capturing her hand in his own, giving it a gentle kiss before letting it go. "Yeah." He let his eyes close as she continued making him comfortable. He lay there for several moments simply drifting as his body began to regain its equilibrium. The fogginess that had covered his mind was slowly receding as the fluids dripped into him.

After a moment, a thought occurred to him. He opened his eyes and touched Ororo's hand. "I got bad news for ya darlin', Forge was behind all this."

She stilled next to him, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "I know."

Logan's eyes shown with sheer rage as he spoke. "I'm gonna kill him Ororo, I'm gonna fuckin' kill him for this."

"Logan…"

He cut her off with a quick jerk of his head as he lifted himself to a sitting position on the gurney. "No, I can look past what he did ta me, god knows there've been enough people try this shit over the years, but he hurt ya. He hurt you! I can't let that lie." His voice was low, savage and very, very angry.

She touched his chest gently, trying to soothe him. "I know that Logan, goddess knows I am well aware of what he did. But I simply cannot stand by while you kill him. Barring the repercussions that might come from the government, I cannot allow another blot on your soul."

He sighed, not willing to give up. "Ororo…"

She touched his face gently her cerulean eyes boring into his. "Logan, please I beg of you. Do not do this; I was so willing to kill those men, for you, because they hurt you and that would have done nothing but allow the cycle of hatred to perpetuate itself. Goddess knows Forge deserves whatever violence is visited upon him, but if you kill him you will only allow the hatred and anger in his heart to live on, in you. Dear goddess I do not know if I can bear that." Her eyes widened as the tears that filled them struggled not to fall.

Logan sighed softly at the desperate expression on her face. If anyone else had asked this of him, he would have told them to take a flying leap off a short pier and gone and done just as he pleased. But it wasn't just anyone asking; it was her. And he knew just how much it cost her to ask this of him, to have her beg him to deny his very nature; deny the animal within its need for blood and vengeance; something they both knew was very difficult for him.

He touched her face, wiping away the tears that had gathered in her eyes and simply nodded. "You win darlin'. He lives but only cause ya want him to. If ya ever change yer mind, let me know."

She smiled at him, the radiance of it astounding him all over again. That she would ask Forge be spared, the man who had broken her heart, not once but twice, the tormentor who had lied and deceived them all, well it said so much for the soul within her and the heart that commanded it to feel such compassion. How in the world had he ever been so blessed as to be loved by such a wonderful creature? He had no idea but he had a very strong feeling that he would have the rest of their lives to discover just what had blessed him with her love. With that final thought, he let himself drift off to some much needed sleep. He needed to be rested when they confronted their betrayer.

* * *

Back at mansion, Scott sat in the radio room his eyes glued to the radar as he willed the blackbird to appear on it. It had only been a few hours since Ororo had run off with the blackbird and he had been keeping a dedicated vigil ever since. Part of it was out of anger at what she had done. But truth be known, a large part of it was also out of guilt.

Ororo had reached out to them with the truth, desperate to tell them that Forge was lying to them and that Logan was still alive. And none of them had listened; not the professor, not Jean, not Remy and certainly not himself. So she'd run off, hoping to show them the truth of Forge's duplicity and bring Logan back alive. And because no one else believed her, she'd been forced to do it alone.

Scott felt a great deal of shame over that. She was a teammate, a comrade but more importantly she was also like a sister to him and Jean and they had failed her; simply by not trusting her intuition. He only hoped that they would be given the chance to make it up to her somehow, someway. He only hoped that she would come back, safe and sound and with Logan.

There was a soft blip on the radar screen, drawing him out of his revere and he sat up straighter, staring at it for several seconds, waiting for it to simply disappear. But it didn't and more importantly, it matched the blackbird and was making a beeline for the mansion. He stood, hitting the comm to the Professor's office. "She's coming back professor." And as he stood, he had a sudden evil thought as it occurred to him just how he could begin paying Ororo back for his lack of faith. With an evil smile, he reached for the same comm panel and paged Forge.

Forge responded quickly enough, meeting Scott just outside the hangar as Scott stood there waiting for him. "What can I do for you Scott?"

Scott waved the older man forward. "Forge, we need a favor. Hank took the blackbird out the other day and noticed something seriously wrong with the hydraulics in the wings. We can't seem to find the problem; would you mind giving it a look?" The sound of the jet landing could be heard even outside the doors. Scott waited until it began to fade before approaching the door.

Forge nodded. "Sure, no problem." He pushed through the door to face 5 feet 2 inches of feral mutant fury. His eyes widened as he tried to back away only to find Scott blocking his exit. He gulped audibly as he reluctantly and slowly turned to facedhis fate. "Logan."

* * *

Inside the blackbird, as Ororo prepared the jet for landing, Logan quietly stood up and removed the IV. He wanted to be ready to move the moment the jet touched the ground. He had promised not to kill Forge and he would uphold that promise. But he had never promised the man would walk away completely unharmed.

When the jet set down gently, Logan began lowering the ramp; the sound of the engines powering down hid the noise but Logan was no fool. There was likely an alarm light coming on in the cockpit even now and he wondered just how long Ororo would give him before she came after him. He wondered if he'd make to Forge before then.

Then, as he stood there he smelled Scott come into the hangar and more importantly Forge was with him. An evil smile lit his face; it seemed he didn't have far to go after all. He loped down the gangway and made his way to the hangar doors, feeling the beast inside him rage to the surface as it too sensed the betrayer.

He watched as Forge caught sight of him, the tin man's eyes widening as he took in Logan's feral state. He turned to leave only to find Scott blocking the way. Logan was impressed by Scott's backbone, wondering if he'd set the other man up.

Then Forge swallowed audibly and turned to face Logan. "Logan."

Logan sneered at him, his claws itching inside his forearms. "Ya didn't think ta see me again did ya, ya back-stabbing sonnava bitch?"

Forge gave a flabbergasted "you're alive." Then doors opened behind him as Jean, Hank, Warren and Betsy entered the room.

Logan snorted loudly, aware that Ororo had come out of the blackbird and was slowly approaching them. "Cut the shit bub, we both know yer the one that stuck me in that damned hell hole." He reached out, striking like a snake as he grabbed Forge by the collar and pulled him in close. "You betrayed me!" His hands tightened slowly, squeezing, choking the air out of Forge as he snarled in the man's face. "I've killed friends fer doin' what ya did; wanna know what I'm gonna do ta you?" He felt Ororo come up behind him, her presence blunting the worst of his rage. His promise to her suddenly floated to the forefront of his mind.

"Logan, please." Her voice was quiet, soft carrying only between the two of them. There was no need to ask what she meant, they were both aware of what she was asking. For a moment, he toyed with breaking his word to her, killing the duplicitous bastard despite his promise. But doing it would wound her far more than Forge ever could and suddenly, he found the bastard just wasn't worth it.

He sneered at the taller man, his voice tight and nearly a growl. "You get to live, cause of her." He released the taller man and stepped back, feeling Ororo's hand on his shoulder.

Forge reached up to rub his throat, sneering at Logan as he taunted him. "She's got you on a short leash, don't she?"

Logan stepped forward quickly, punching Forge hard in the gut. As the taller man bent over, gasping for breath, Logan grabbed him by the hair, pulling his head up to snarl in his face. "She asked me not ta kill ya; I ain't got no problem bustin' ya up instead." He let Forge's head drop as Ororo stepped forward.

He straightened to face her, his face set and expressionless. He met her eyes unflinchingly, the blue orbs like chips of ice in her face and the room glacial with her rage as it blanketed the entire room. Without warning, she slapped him hard across the face, the sound of the blow shockingly loud in the silent hangar.

She stood there as he simply accepted the blow, her breathing fast and ragged as her anger built. "Why Forge? How could you do this to him? To me? To us?" She waved her hands to indicate the others in the room, watching on in silence as Forge was called to answer for his crimes against one of their own.

Forge took a deep breath, as he stood up straighter. "They wanted him Ororo and they knew I could get him for them." He reached up to rub his jaw where she slapped him.

Ororo looked at him in shock. "So you simply betrayed him? Betrayed me?"

"These aren't people you can just say no to. They were willing to do anything to get him, even kill me." He threw back, letting his own anger take control.

Ororo's eyes blazed, slowly clouding over as in her rage, she reached out with her powers. "So you thought Logan's life a fair trade for your own?" There was a warning rumble of thunder far overhead.

Forge looked nervous at the sound but pushed on. "What was I supposed to do? Tell them no? Let them kill me and have them come after him anyway? Would you be so willing to lay down your life for a complete stranger?"

She answered without thought or hesitation. "Yes because that is the right thing to do. That was the one thing about me you could never understand, my willingness to sacrifice my life for the greater good."

Forge practically sneered at her. "What greater good? He's an animal Ororo; a genetic anomaly that manages to walk and talk like a man, but he isn't. And you're deluding yourself if you think his life is anywhere equal to mine. I'm twice the man that he is; and at least in a civilized setting I can pass for one. I'm not some furry wannabe that managed to teach myself to walk on two legs."

Ororo reacted without thought, striking quickly just like Logan taught her. Jabbing him hard once in the stomach to immobilize him and a second time in the face while he was helpless.

He stumbled backwards, clutching his nose, trying to stop the bleeding. "You bitch, you broke my nose."

Logan smiled to himself knowing just why she'd aimed for his face; vanity. She stood there shaking with anger. "You bastard! You blithely walk in here to destroy my life and rip my heart out for a second time and you have the balls to insult him to my face!" Her snarl surprised everyone in the room

Forge stood there, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to stop the bleeding and began laughing. "Sweetheart, you ain't much better. I'd never have gotten Xavier or the others to go along with us going in alone if it hadn't been for the fact that everyone thought I wanted you back. Did you really think I came back for you? Talk about balls, being so conceited as to think I'd give a damn about you once I left. Of course, what else does your kind ever think?"

He wiped some blood onto his pants, sniffling as the flow slowed to a trickle. "It was so entertaining watching all of you so off balance. Circling the wagons to keep me at bay and protect her at the same time. I never gave a shit about getting you back Ororo. You were just a smoke screen." His smile was malicious and full of hatred as he threw the last statement at her.

Her face shocked, Ororo simply stood there for a moment before finding her voice. "So everything you said to me the night you came back was a lie?" He nodded. "Then why were you so against my relationship with him?"

Forge looked at her and spoke as if she were a child or mentally impaired. "It complicated things. I know you Ororo; you're like a dog with a bone once your mind is made up. I might have been able to use that to distract you once I got here but I knew it would work against me if he simply disappeared. If there was even a chance he might come back, you'd never give up looking. I couldn't risk it. You were supposed to leave him when you found out he was cheating on you!" The entire room went deathly still at those words and all eyes turned to Ororo.

Her voice was midnight dark. "How do you know about that? I told no one; no one. And as Jean was the only witness, I find it hard to believe you would have any knowledge of that."

Logan spoke up behind her. "He knows cause he arranged it."

Again Ororo was shocked to silence for a moment. "He what?"

"Come on 'Ro, think." Logan nodded his head in Forge's direction. "Days after he arrives Jean supposedly sees me with another woman, my guess is that he knows a shapeshifter who owes him a favor. Someone who don't mind what he asks 'em ta do; maybe even Mystique for all we know." He noticed Forge stiffen slightly and would have laid money that Mystique was indeed responsible for the scene Jean witnessed. But he let it slide as he continued his explanation.

"Whatever the story, the whole thing makes ya suspicious and we have a huge fight. He was countin' on ya ta walk away but ya didn't. He was tryin' ta make it easier ta get me outta here and not have ya ask so many questions. If we split before I left, then me dyin' from stupidity would make a lot of sense." And it was something he might have done himself to a rival or an enemy if he thought about it.

Her eyes softened slightly as she recalled just why he was in town that day. "But he did not know the real reason you were in town that day, did not know that I would not buy that story." Her eyes hardened again as she turned her attention back to Forge. "You set him up. You tried to make it look like he was unfaithful so when he disappeared no one would care. Do you even realize what you did? What I almost did?" Her voice rose in volume as she spoke and the final word was echoed by a loud peal of thunder overhead.

Forge looked at Logan. "I was doing you a favor. Given enough time, she'd have become a self righteous, stuck-up bitch. Who wants to live with that?"

Enraged, Logan attacked him again, punching him in the gut making the genius fall to his knees. Logan stood over him fighting the urge to beat the man to a bloody pulp. He could feel the beast inside him pushing him to further violence, urging him to maim the man, kill him, rip him apart. He was through playing games with the jackass, it was time to make him hurt!

Forge looked up at him, appearing to brace himself for the final blow. The look in his eyes gave Logan pause and not because Logan gave a damn. Instead it made Logan begin thinking. Forge was pushing him, digging at him, hoping to force Logan to lose control and kill him. Logan could feel it in his every word and gesture. And the only question Logan could think of was why?

Like lightning, it hit him. The reason for his strange and deadly behavior could be traced back to something he had said to Ororo just moments before. He told Ororo that the people he worked for were willing to kill him to get what they wanted. Maybe that's what Forge was worried about, that when he reported back to his superiors, he would simply disappear. And given their level of anger at the loss of both their data and their lab, it wasn't likely to be pretty. Faced with that possibility it made perfect sense that Forge would feel he had a choice to make.

So he chose to pick a fight with Logan instead with the insane hope that somehow his death at the feral mutants hands might be quicker and more humane than it would be in the hands of those he had failed. The truly sad part was that if Logan had not sworn an oath to Ororo, Forge probably would have had a chance at that fast quick death.

Logan reached down, dragging the other man to his feet only to slam him back against the wall, pinning him there with arm across his throat. He was dimly aware of the other X-men standing behind him, their tensions filling the air with a myriad of scents, all of them unaware of the epiphany he'd just gone through. But he pushed them all aside to concentrate on the man pinned to the wall.

He pitched his voice low, not wanting it to carry too far but kept it hard enough to get his message across. "Ya don't learn do ya? Ya know I could gut ya right now and no one in this room would stop me. But I won't cause she doesn't think ya deserve it; not even after what ya did ta me. Besides, I think you're in deeper shit bein' alive than ya would be burnin' in hell.

"But ya better keep somethin' in mind before ya ever decide ta come back here askin' fer our help, I could spend a lifetime filletin' ya alive for every tear ya've caused her ta shed and it still wouldn't be enough ta payback the pain ya've caused her. Ya were right about me Forge, I'm a killer a damned good one. And I'm also an animal, a real possessive one. I ain't got no conscience about coming after ya later. Just lift yer head, even once above normal radar and ya'll find me there ta chop it off." As he spoke, Logan placed his right hand under Forge's chin, letting the two outside claws slowly slide out of his forearm to frame either side of his face. As he reached the end of his speech, the third claw began unsheathing just as slowly, until it rested against the underside of the man's chin.

Logan kept it there, letting Forge feel the pressure of it as it pierced the delicate skin there and a small drop of blood formed to drip down Logan's claw. "Ya ever come back here, ya ever try ta hurt her again and I swear ta God, I'll gut ya. There ain't gonna be a thing she can say that'll stop me neither. Cause ya only get one save with us and if ya come back all bets are off. Cause I know places even God don't visit no more." Disgusted he threw the man away from him and stepped back ignoring the roar of rage from the beast. It wanted the man dead for what was done to its mate; it wanted him broken and bleeding at his feet. But Logan was going to deny it and let the man go; because Ororo had asked. And at the moment, the beast was not happy with him but it relented.

Forge lay on the floor panting quietly as he looked at the other X-men standing around him. There was no sympathy to be found in that circle of faces and no hand offered to him as he managed to pull himself to his feet. He spared Ororo one final glance but found nothing but enraged goddess standing there.

"I suggest you leave Forge before I do something we shall both regret." Around her the others stepped closer, the human wall more than a little intimidating.

Forge said nothing to anyone, he simply backed up and left the hangar. He would be gone within the hour. Xavier would see to that. Once he left, everyone in the room visibly relaxed. Scott was the first to step forward, embracing Ororo and welcoming Logan back with a solid cuff to the shoulders. A universally manly gesture that Logan was surprised to receive from the man. Joyous chaos ensured after that as the rest of the team suddenly entered the room and stepped forward to greet there once lost teammate.


	41. The End

Summary: Its the end, need I say more?

Author's Note: This is it folks, the end, finally. I want to thank all of the people who've followed this story over the 3 years it took me to write it. Your feedback and enjoyment of my work really made it worthwhile. For those of you who want to read other things I'm currently working on, feel free to visit my webpage and drop me a line. I also want to dedicate this final chapter to the love of my life. After sitting down and finally reading this from chapter 1 until chapter 39, she bugged, pestered and heckled me to finish and finish quick. Those plans of course were delayed when my computer decided it hated my harddrive; oh well thank god I sent her that final chapter before it did! I hope to write more about this couple in the future, but only time will tell. So thanks again, and as always, read and enjoy.

* * *

Forge made his way back to the room he'd been given, suddenly desperate to leave the mansion behind him. He had to get away, had to hide before anyone came looking for him. Maybe if he was lucky, he could get to the bolt hole he'd set up some time ago for just this occasion. Although at the time he'd established it, he never thought to ever use it.

He entered the room, gathering his things and shoving them into his suitcase as quickly as he could. Inside, part of him was furious that his deception had been found out. Somehow, his plan had back fired and his ego was large enough to feel a bit bruised by the discovery. But another part of him was more fearful of what would happen once his superiors found out about his failure; if they hadn't found out already.

He heard the wheels of Charles' chair just a scant second before the older man's voice filled the room. "You lied to us."

Forge turned to face the telepath, a bit annoyed that he hadn't managed to leave before Xavier found him. "Yeah, I did. But I didn't really see that I had much choice."

Charles wheeled further into the room. "Perhaps but you could have told us the truth; we would have protected you, helped you."

Forge snorted as he continued stuffing things into his suitcase. "By doing what exactly Chuck? I'm not part of the team."

There was a soft sigh behind him. "For that I am extremely grateful."

Forge finished packing and, zippering his suitcase, turned to face the professor. "Now what? You have some parting words of wisdom?"

Charles shook his head. "No, like Logan I have a warning and a gift."

Forge laughed despite himself. "A gift? What the hell do you have that I could possibly want?"

"I'm going to give you the one thing you did not possess that would have protected us: a backbone." His soft voice was firm and there was something about it that promised dire retribution if anyone failed to take heed. It caught Forge's attention.

He resisted the urge to pull back. "And just how do you plan on doing that?" This time Charles gave him a wry, slender smile that chilled the blood in his veins.

"By making you more afraid of us, than you are of them." The older man looked at him closely and let his powerful mind free of some of his iron willed control. He pitched his voice low and dark, letting it fill Forge's soul with despair and fear. "If you ever return here, I will make you sure you spend the rest of your days in pain and terror. Every waking moment will be spent in a haze of sheer blinding agony the likes of which you have never even imagined. I will make you rue the day you were born and wish for death a thousand times over before I'm finished. And I won't even have to touch you to do it. I give you my word on that. So think well if you ever are pressured to return to us."

He pulled back and Forge stood there trembling slightly as Xavier's words sank home. Death would find him whether he left the mansion or not. But only here would he find complete and utter destruction of his soul if he came back. He looked at Charles and felt the first flicker of true fear take light in his heart.

Xavier gave him a kind smile and gave him a small nod before turning to leave the room. "Now, I believe your taxi has arrived; I must politely ask you to leave these grounds." A moment later, he was gone.

* * *

Nearly two hours later, after Logan had been carefully looked over by Jean and Hank and after he'd seen Ororo off to their room to rest for a bit while he got a snack, Logan walked into the kitchen to find Jean sitting there nursing a glass of orange juice. It reminded him of the last time he'd walked in to find her doing the exact same thing; the morning he'd realized that he was in love with Ororo. The memory made him smile.

Jean looked up at his entrance, waving him to a seat and getting up to fix him something to eat. "How's she doing?"

Surprised and touched by the gesture, he sat down at the table. "She's exhausted. Overjoyed, but exhausted."

Jean sighed as she put together a simple sandwich for him, her eyes troubled. "She's been through a lot these past weeks; and she's not the only one. How are you doing?" She gave him an appraising stare, her doctor's eyes assessing him closely.

He shrugged knowing what she was asking for but unwilling to share the horrors with her or anyone, for any reason. "Good."

"Logan." She gave him the look. Logan supposed she was practicing for the pending brood she and Scott were starting on. But at the moment, he was unfazed by it.

"Give me some time Jean. I may have a few more nightmares every once in awhile but I'll manage."

She stared at him for a moment and then simply nodded. "That's good to hear."

He watched her in silence as she put the sandwich together, grabbing a few other things to with it before she brought it all to the table. "Jean, I gotta ask, what happened when ya told her?"

Jean sat down across from him, her face unreadable as she watched him begin eating. "Are you sure you want to hear this?"

He took a large bite of the sandwich, chewing slowly while he thought. Despite himself, he still needed to know just how bad it had been for her. If only so he knew what he was in store for in helping her heal. "I gotta know Jean. Don't worry 'bout my mental health, I can deal with it." He took another bite, brushing at the crumbs that stuck to his beard.

She chuckled as she handed him a napkin. "I'm not worried about your mental health so much as Forge's continued healthy existence."

He shook his head, continuing to eat as he spoke around the mouthful. "We had our conversation. Whatever ya tell me now ain't gonna make me take off after him. He ain't worth the effort."

She watched him eat for several moments before seeming to come to a decision and answering his question. "She grieved for you Logan, so hard that she nearly destroyed the Eastern Sea Board with the resulting storm."

"What?" He couldn't hide his surprise; whatever he'd been expecting, it hadn't been that.

Jean elaborated for him. "She gave up her control, completely surrendering to the grief and anguish she felt. We watched from the sidelines, unable to approach her waiting for the storm to dissipate. It took three days."

"Jesus." He looked at the rest of his sandwich, no longer hungry; his appetite driven away by her words.

Jean sighed, her voice quiet as she continued. "When the storm finally began to die and we were able to approach, we barely reached her in time. We arrived just as the last of her strength left her and she fell from the sky. Rogue managed to catch her before she drowned. She told me later that she simply gave up. She didn't want to fight any longer and was hoping to join you."

Logan pushed his plate away from him, suddenly ill at the thought of what nearly happened to the love of his life. He'd come so close to losing her, so close to having nothing to live for. It sickened him, what Forge had done to them both and he'd simply let the man walk away. Hopefully driven to ground by the fear of his superiors but he was still free. Now Logan wondered at the wisdom of that decision.

He gave Jean a puzzled look as something occurred to him. "Jean, I know I asked but why the detail? We both know ya could've gotten the message across without it."

There was a strange fire in her eyes as she leaned forward, the growing bump of her unborn child hitting the table softly as she met his gaze unflinchingly. "Because he hurt her and you. Because he tried to manipulate all of us and he lied to Charles. Because I don't want you to ever feel mercy or forget what he did to either of you. Because if he ever comes back, I want to help you kill him for what he's done to this family." The last was said with such a fierce, savage tone, Logan half expected her to start growling.

He chuckled even as he realized that she was deadly serious. "Red, remind me never to piss you off. The devil ain't got nothin' on you." He picked up his soda, draining it before slapping the can back down on the table, desperately wishing it had been a beer.

She reached out to touch his hand gently, drawing his attention back. "I only ask one thing in return Logan." He nodded. "Take care of her Logan. Love her, cherish her and give her all her dreams. That's all I ask."

He nodded touched at her trust. "Deal."

She gave him a smile and stood up to begin cleaning up the mess she'd made while making his snack. "Good, now Charles would like to see you." She bent down and kissed his cheek gently even as she began clearing the table. "Welcome home Logan."

He smiled at her in affection. "Thanks Jeannie."

* * *

Logan went off to Xavier's study, finding the door open and Charles inside, sitting before the large picture window, staring out across the gardens. He walked across the room. "Jeannie said ya wanted ta see me Chuck."

Charles turned, smiling as he caught sight of him. "Yes Logan, I did." He wheeled himself away from the window to the sofa, waving Logan to sit down. "I wanted to welcome you back and to apologize."

Logan looked at him, startled at the older man's words. "Apologize? What for?"

Xavier sighed. "We did not believe her Logan and because of that you suffered needlessly in that prisoner." He looked at Logan, his eyes naked and filled with guilt and pain at what they both knew he had experienced.

Logan looked at him for several moments, touched beyond words at the professor's admission. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together, gazing at them for several long moments before he responded. "Chuck, I don't blame ya guys for this. Ya thought it was the grief talkin', how could ya not? Ya all did what ya thought best for her. Ya were tryin' ta protect her and help her heal. It's what I would've wanted ya ta do."

Xavier nodded, reaching out to take one of Logan's hands in his in a firm grasp, surprising the other man even more. "Still, I feel a great deal of shame over my immediate dismissal of her claims."

Logan waved him off, sitting back against the couch feeling a touch of tears burning in his throat at the heartfelt acceptance from the older man. "It's over and done Chuck. As far as I'm concerned Forge is the one responsible for all this."

Charles smiled wryly, a strange look on his face. "Yes, he is. But I have a distinct feeling we will not be hearing from him for a very long time." The look on his face told Logan he wasn't talking about Logan and Ororo's confrontation with him in the hangar. Logan wondered just what Xavier had said to the mutant genius but was unable to question him further as Xavier continued speaking. "However, there is something I think you should be aware of."

"Yeah?"

"Upon further urging from Jean, I attempted to find you using Cerebro and discovered something quite unexpected." He sat back and took a moment or two to collect his thoughts. "I was unable to locate you specifically. They had you heavily shielded and even with Cerebro, I was unable to penetrate that shielding. But on a hunch, I took a closer look at Ororo and discovered a psychic connection between the two of you. It is similar to the one shared by Scott and Jean and even Jean and Ororo. I have no explanation for it and I do not understand it. But it is there and I thought you should know about it."

"Are ya sayin' that Ororo and I are bonded psychically?"

"Yes for lack of a better term, yes. This might explain the dreams you had of her while you were imprisoned."

Again Logan looked at him in shock. "How did ya know 'bout that?" He paused a second and then shook his head. He had a very good idea how Charles knew. "Never mind."

Charles chuckled, reaching out to clasp his hand again. "In any event Logan, it is good to have you back. And I have been urged by many of the residents here that we need to celebrate. So, I'm planning a party to celebrate your return to us. And, I'm hoping that by the time the party comes around, you and Ororo will have an announcement for us all."

Logan chuckled as he stood and left the room; it was just too difficult to hide anything in this house.

* * *

He went back up to the loft room he and Ororo shared, half expecting to find her asleep in the middle of the bed. The woman was exhausted and after the past couple of weeks they'd been through, so was he. But when he opened the door, he found her sitting in the middle of the bed, holding one of his shirts in her lap and gazing around the room as if she were suddenly lost.

He closed the door, going to sit on the edge of the bed as she turned to him. Her eyes lit up at the sight of him and she the lost look in her eyes faded as he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Ya alright darlin'?" He grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently as she smiled at him.

She nodded, taking his other hand in hers to hold against her chest. "I still cannot believe this is real; still cannot believe you are here with me."

He nodded well able to relate to what she was feeling. "I never expected ta get outta there. How'd ya figure out I wasn't dead?"

She shifted on the bed, reaching out to touch his chest and shoulders. "While you were gone, I had a dream. You and I were having a picnic in the gardens near the lake. And you told me that you were not dead. That Forge had faked the whole thing." Her tone was soft and low, calm even. As if she was simple explaining a lesson to one of the children. As if she could not hear the sudden pounding of his heart in his chest.

He took a deep breath, feeling it hitch in his chest slightly. "We were discussin' that movie we saw about clonin' weren't we?"

Ororo looked at him in surprise. "Yes, we were. Logan, how did you know that?"

He gave her a wry smile. "Cause I had the same damned dream almost every night since Forge left me in that hellhole. How could we be havin' the same dream?"

"Perhaps we are more connected than we realize."

Without warning, Xavier's words came back to him. The theory that the two of them shared a psychic link, despite the fact that neither one of them was psychically gifted. "I ain't a telepath darlin' and the last I knew neither were you. So how in the hell…" she touched his lips, stilling his words.

She gave him a smile, gently touching his face with such tenderness and love in her eyes as she did so. "I do not know my love. Does it really matter if we do?" She reached out to cup his face, bringing it close to her own, their lips a mere breath apart as she whispered. "Because I plan on getting down on my knees every night until the day I die and thanking every god I can name for that miracle."

Touched and a bit shaken by her declaration, he rested his forehead against hers, feeling the biting sting of tears sitting in his eyes at the sudden thought of losing her. "Darlin', the only miracle I've ever known before was you."

She reached out to pull him close, tears suddenly sliding down her face as she whispered in his ears. "Goddess, I was so lost without you. I did not think I could go on. I never want to feel that way ever again. And I am going to do everything in my power to keep it from happening again."

He pulled back from her, gently touching her slightly quivering lips. "Ororo what're ya tryin' ta say?"

She took a deep breath, bracing herself. "I want us to leave the team."

Shocked, he could only stare at her in silence for a moment. "What?" His gruff reply sounded harsh to his own ears. Of all the things he'd expected her to say, this was very high on the "not even remotely possible" list.

"Not completely but no more missions. No more sitting around wondering if you are coming back. I never want to be called into Xavier's office again and be told what I was told a couple of weeks ago. I never again want to feel the pain I felt when I thought you were dead." She leaned her head against his chest and he knew that the tears in her eyes were even then sliding down her face to soak into his shirt.

He reached up to stroke her head as she quietly cried against him. "But leavin' the team? Come on darlin' we both know ya couldn't do that."

She pulled away her face covered in tears. "I have to. I cannot lose you like this again, because next time, it will destroy me."

Logan gave a huge mental sigh, the sight of her tear filled eyes nearly breaking his heart all over again. He reached out, cupping her face in his large hands, gently wiping away her tears. "Ororo listen to me. The X-Men mean everythin' to ya. Ya can't just walk away. And even if ya could I wouldn't let ya. I know how much bein' a part of this team means to ya."

She shook her head, she grabbed his shirt in her hands, fisting the material in her vise-like grip. "I am simply not strong enough. I cannot live with the risk of losing you. I simply cannot live without you."

He gave her a gentle smile as he untangled her hands from the lapels of his shirt before wrapping his arms around her once more. He held her for several moments, simply rocking her as he let her quietly cry out her fear and frustrations. Feeling her relax against him, he gave a huge sigh as he urged her to look at him.

He reached out, gently brushing the tears from her face. "Ya once told me that life was full of risks. If we stop to think about that too hard then we freeze up. There are a thousand things that could happen ta me or you; but that don't stop us from livin' our lives, doin' what we love. I can't bear that fear would make ya give up somethin' ya love so much. Would ya rather have our children take the risk when we weren't willin' to?"

She gazed at him in shock for several moments. Her voice when it came was quiet and unsure. "Our children? You want children?"

He shrugged. "I never thought I did but I had plenty of time ta think while they had me holed up in that dungeon." He caressed her face, a tender smile on his as he told her of the daydreams he'd had while imprisoned. "I'd love ta see a little girl, the spittin' image of her mother, runnin' around terrorizin' the teachers, all full of piss and vinegar. I want someone Scott and Jean's kid can pal around with, grow up with. I want what ya want, so long as it makes you happy."

Ororo gave him a shy smile a thought occurring to her. "And if it is a little boy, the very twin of his father?"

He gave a sharp bark of laughter at the image and the idea of their son running around the mansion. "Then we're all in fer a heap of trouble and I'll have ta apologize ta Scott and Jean on a daily basis."

She laughed for a moment with him, and then sobered even as the smile stayed on her face. "I do not know what to say."

"Say ya want everythin' I've offered. Say ya want kids, say ya want me, say anythin' ya like. Just say you'll stay, say yer willin' ta take the risk with me."

She nodded. "I will stay."

Inside his heart constricted and then swelled to over flowing in the blink of an eye. "Then does that mean ya have an answer fer me?"

She got up on her knees on the bed, putting her arms around his neck as she nodded. "Yes, Logan, yes to all of it."

He kissed her then, long and deep as the beast inside him woke, looking on with restrained humor. It was happy and so Logan could be as well. In its mind, Logan had chosen well. He pulled back from the kiss and let her go somewhat reluctantly so he could begin getting undressed for bed. "Good now ya and Jeanie can start plannin' the shindig fer this thing." He called over his shoulder.

She shook her head, standing. "No, I cannot wait, not after what we have been through. Let us leave, tonight, go somewhere and get married. No more waiting, I want you to be my husband."

Her impulsiveness surprised him. "Ya sure?"

She again wrapped her arms around his neck. "I do not care about the wedding Logan; we can have a party for everyone later but this, this I want for us."

He searched her face but only found eagerness and a touch of impatience at having to explain. He gave her a nod before pulling away to put his shirt back on. "Alright; looks like we're stealin' the blackbird again cause it looks like Vegas is our only option right now."

She chuckled. "I have a better idea. Call Kurt, he can teleport over here and perform the ceremony for us."

For some reason thinking of Kurt brought Jean to mind and what her reaction might be at finding they'd eloped. "What about Jean? She's likely to kick yer ass if she finds out ya got married without her."

She chuckled again. "Let me take care of that. We shall need witnesses after all."

"Where do ya want ta do this?"

"Out in the gardens near the lake while the moon is high in the sky. It shall be like the first night we made love in the woods."

He nodded. "Alright, I'll call the elf so he can come and get us hitched."

* * *

Nearly an hour later, after Ororo had managed to convince Jean and the professor that she was very serious and completely sure, she stood next to Logan in the gardens, exchanging vows beneath the moonlight. Jean at her left, the professor standing for Logan, both of them beaming at the brilliant smile on Ororo's face.

As for Kurt, he was only too happy to come over from the monastery to marry them and he stood there in his priestly vestments, an open bible in his hand as he invoked God to bear witness to the union. His heavy German accent making many of his words indecipherable but somehow more meaningful all the same.

Logan stood there with Ororo, holding her slender hands in his own, unable to take his eyes off her. For once, his senses were completely clouded, occupied solely by the beautiful woman he was about to take as his wife. The mansion could have blown up behind them and he would have remained blissfully unaware of it.

This was the moment he knew he'd been waiting for all his life, even the large portion he could no longer remember. The moment when he would stand beside the woman he'd chosen, laying his claim before God and family; the moment when he would willingly hand his heart to the one woman who would take it gladly. He had found his soul mate, the other half of himself. She was the one he had been waiting for and now she was here, ready to build the life and the family that he had once thought denied him because of the blood of his past.

But she didn't care about the blood on his hands or the violence he carried in his heart. She saw only the man underneath the manipulations of others. Saw only the caring kind soul and that was what she loved, that was who she knew. So he would gladly spend the rest of his life trying to be worthy of that trust. And he would move heaven and Earth to see all her dreams made real.

A moment later, he was sliding her engagement ring onto her finger his vows having been said and declared. There had never been time to look at wedding bands so it would have to do for the moment. But he had a feeling it could have been a folded gum wrapper and that would not have mattered to her one bit. He could see the love and joy in her eyes and he knew that no matter what he did in this life, no matter what that life together might bring, he would do everything in his power to ensure she would never want for those feelings.

Then, the ceremony was complete and Jean was hugging Ororo tightly while Xavier gave him a firm handshake in congratulations. Then there was joyous chaos as they shuffled around and he gave Jean a warm hug while Ororo kissed Charles warmly on the cheek. Even Kurt was included and was surprised when Logan gave him a gruff but warm hug as he thanked the monk for coming over to marry them.

Then, somehow he tore Ororo away from the small but elated group and carried her upstairs to the loft where he happily spent the next several hours reuniting himself with the touch and feel of her as they made love. Near dawn found them wrapped up in each others arms, both of them barely conscious but neither willing to let go and sleep.

He lay there holding her in his arms as she slowly lost the battle and drifted off, a slight smile on her face. He continued stroking her hair and face long after her breathing deepened and she went limp and relaxed, still unwilling to let the night end. Tomorrow would bring the real world crashing back to them. Tomorrow they would have to face the other residents of the mansion and try to hide the elopement until a bit later. No need to steal Jean and Scott's thunder just yet.

He gave a slight chuckle as he realized that Gambit might also be a bit pissed about Ororo running off with him. He felt a surge of glee at the idea that he'd managed to get in the last word on the Cajun. And with that thought in his head, he too finally gave up the fight and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Two days later Xavier kept good on his word and there was a large party gathered to celebrate Logan's return from death. Charles had told Logan that it was to welcome him back but they both knew the party meant so much more to that. It was an affirmation of life for the residents of the mansion and it served as a reminder that every moment of that life was so very precious. More importantly it gave them all a chance to unite against a common enemy and traitor and thrive in spite of his treachery.

So, Charles asked many of the students to come back a few weeks early to celebrate with all of the permanent residents. There were very few of them that turned down that invitation. Although no one had any idea just how special the party would turn out to be. Or that it would be far more than a simple happy reunion.

The party had been going for some time, with plenty of good food and talking and laughter. Some of the younger boys had started some games; a small group of them were playing a game of football while another few were playing horseshoes in the nearby pits. There was dancing and cheer and no one really wanted the day to ever end.

But some time after the party started, Scott stood up, rapping his glass loudly as Jean and the professor called everyone in to witness. It seemed that Scott had something important to say to both Ororo and Logan.

He stood there in the middle of the group, holding a glass of champagne, the one concession Xavier would allow for that night, and gave Logan a solid cuff on the back. "Logan, we both know I'm not your favorite person; in fact we both know that there were quite a few times we'd have gladly beat the tar out of each other." There was a great deal of laughter over that statement. "But I have to admit, it's really good to have you back. I know I for one wouldn't want my kid to grow up without knowing you."

Logan chuckled slightly even as Jean seconded the sentiment. "Here, here."

Scott lifted up his glass as others did the same. "So this is to welcome back into the fold and wish you and Ororo all the happiness you can handle. To both of you."

There was a bit of clapping and even a bit of whistling and cheering as Warren stepped up to take Scott's place at Logan's side. "Well mate, it seems like Bets and I might be following all of your footsteps in the marriage department. Course, she hasn't asked me yet so that might be a guess on my part." Logan laughed loudly at that, remembering well the conversation they'd had on that fateful New Year's Eve night. "Be that as it may, we both wish you guys joy in each other and your future. Now would the two of you just get hitched and making with the babies already?"

Beside Logan, Ororo chuckled quietly and he could see her blush slightly beneath her caramel skin even as Jean spoke up in mock terror. "God no, don't even joke about Logan having kids."

"Well good thing we're trained in guerilla warfare." This from Scott as Gambit took his turn.

Silence fell as Logan felt Remy come up beside him. "Gambit is Ororo's bruder and he has always tried to look out for her. When Logan and Ororo first began dat'ing, Remy must admit, he was not happy."

"To say the least." Ororo murmured somberly.

If Remy heard her, he paid her no mind and continued on talking. "But _mon ami_, Remy has never seen her happier den she is wit you. Or so miserable as she was when she t'ought you were gone. And so, Remy has only one thing to say to da two of you: _Mai vos âmes et être pleinement vos coeurs lumière, mai vous savez toujours l'amour et la joie dans chaque autre mai et vous ne l'avez jamais être séparés de nouveau, pas même dans la mort_."

Glasses were lifted a third time to salute them both and Logan found himself touched by the attention. He looked at Ororo, raising an eyebrow in question. Ororo, gave him a slight nod, almost as if she read his mind and he knew that it was time to let the cat out of the bag. The others around him called for a speech as he stood there and he decided he would give them just what they asked for.

"I don't remember my family, don't even know if I have one left ta be honest. But I'd like ta think that if I do have one somewhere, they're just like the one I found here. I thank ya'll for openin' yer hearts and homes ta me and for takin' care of Ororo when ya'll thought I was dead. A man couldn't ask for better than that." He put his arm around Ororo's waist, watching as Jean reached out to the other woman, tears in her eyes. It was time for the happy announcement.

"Now I know ya'll thought this was ta celebrate me comin' home and the news 'bout our engagement. But 'Ro and I have a bit of a confession. A couple nights ago, we called and asked Kurt to zap his but over here and marry us. So, this should also be a celebration of our weddin'."

Scott looked at him in shock. "You guys eloped on us?"

Logan chuckled. "Yeah, we did."

Jean walked over and took his arm as she said. "We'll forgive them, on two conditions." There was no mention that she knew very well that they had eloped.

Ororo smiled at her friend. "And what would those be?"

"First, that you promise to renew your vows on your first anniversary so we can have a proper wedding."

Ororo nodded, chuckling. "And the second?"

Jean looked at Scott and he nodded. "That you and Logan stand up as the godparents for our child."

Ororo let go of Logan and hugged her friend, tears in her eyes. "Oh Jean, we would be honored."

"Then it's settled. Now come on, we have a party to enjoy." She dragged Ororo off to a nearby table and she and Warren and Betsy began a card game.

Behind them, Logan and Remy stood together in silence, watching as Ororo laughed, her eyes sparkling and bright. Remy heaved a great sigh as he pondered Logan. "Remy should be mad dat you did not ask him to be a part of dat wedding."

Logan shrugged. "Yeah I guess ya should. But it was her idea."

Remy chuckled. "Why is Remy not surprised." He looked at Ororo for several long moments before turning back to Logan. "Just promise Remy dat he be your best man in a year's time."

Surprised Logan looked at the younger man. "Ya sure ya can stomach standin' up for me?"

Remy shrugged. "Remy can stand a great deal if she asked it of him. But Remy don't be doin' dis for her. He be doin' dis cause he approve of you."

Logan nodded after a moment, extending his hand towards the younger man. Remy stared at it for several seconds before taking it in his own and shaking it firmly. Then, the matter settled in his mind, he turned and walked off, looking for Rogue.

Logan watched him wander off, feeling a bit shell shocked at the sudden change in his attitude but extremely glad of it. He heard Ororo laughing loudly and turned his attention back to the card table where she was playing. He walked to the table, and without thinking, leaned over her, tilting her face up to meet his.

"I love you Ororo." He said softly.

She smiled at him, reaching up to touch his face. "I love you too Logan." And then she gently kissed him.

He reveled in the kiss for several moments, the others at the table forgotten as she clouded his senses. He pulled back after a moment to find Jean standing at the table next to her empty seat.

"Take my spot Logan; I have to pee again." The others laughed as Logan slid into her empty seat.

"Must suck Red."

Jean gently patted his shoulder as she leaned in to whisper. "Well in about six months, I'm sure you'll be well acquainted with the problem." Then she was gone.

Logan sat there completely still for several moments at the implications. Was she? Did she know it yet? Did he say anything about what Jean had said? Then the moment was lost as Warren threw a card at him.

"Damn mate, you looked like Jean fed you a damn live bird or something. You ok?"

Logan growled. "Just deal the damn cards feathers; and no cheatin'. I'm watchin' ya." There would be time enough later to talk about what Jean had said; time enough to go over what it meant. But for now, now he was surrounded by the people who meant most to him in all the world. And he had no intention of letting the opportunity to enjoy himself pass him by.

The End

* * *

Gambit's toast: May your souls be full and your hearts light, May you always know love and joy in each other and may you never be parted again, not even in death


End file.
